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THE BOMBARDMENT OF FORT BRC)V\"N, 





WITH TAYLOR ON 
THE RIO GRANDE 


BY 

CAPTAIN RALPH BONEHILL 

AUTHOR OF 

“FOR THE LIBERTY OF TEXAS,” “A 
SAILOR BOY WITH DEWEY,” 

“ WHEN SANTIAGO 
FELL,” ETC. ^ 


JHliistratetJ tig 
J. W. KENNEDY 





> ) > 




BOSTON 

DANA ESTES & COMPANY 


PUBLISHERS 





THE LIBRARY OF 
CONGRESS, 
Two Copies Received 


JUL 9 1901 


Copyright entry 


CLASS XXc. N*. 




■5'>-Y9 


COPY B. 


Copyright^ igoi 

By Dana Estes & Company 

All rights reserved 


WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 


• • ♦ C C < c ( 

c c c- c 

4 ® c c c; ^ 

c c c c 

• • • • • c 


• • 



c 


CToIontal Press 

Electrotyped and Printed by C. H. Simonds & Co. 
Boston, Mass., U. S. A. 




CONTENTS 


CHAPTER PAGE 

I. The Radburys and Their Home . ii 

II. The Old San Antonio Trail . . 20 

III. In and Out of a Sink -hole . . 29 

IV. Juan the Giant 37 

V. A Midnight Adventure ... 46 

VI. The Cave on the Hillside . . 53 

VII. The Mesquite Brake .... 61 

VIII. The Trouble between the United 

States and Mexico .... 69 

IX. Hunting for Deer .... 78 

X. Caught in a Texan Blizzard . . 86 

XI. The Return to the Ranch . . 95 

XII. On the Way to the Military Camp 103 

XIII. Difficulties of the Trail . .111 

XIV. A Drove of Wild Horses . .119 

XV. Uncle Sam’s Soldier Boys . .128 

XVI. General Zachary Taylor . .136 

XVII. The Crossing of the Colorado . 143 

XVIII. Hoisting our Flag on the Rio 

Grande 151 

XIX. A Struggle with a Spy . . .159 

XX. Bombardment of Fort Brown . . 167 

XXL Battle of Palo Alto . . .178 

XXII. Fighting at Resaca de la Palma . 185 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

XXIII. Hank Stiger Comes to Grief . .194 

XXIV. Captured on the Rio Grande . . 203 

XXV. Surrender of Matamoras . .212 

XXVI. An Old Enemy Turns Up. . . 220 

XXVII. Oliver at the Old Mill . . , 228 

XXVIII. An Unsuccessful Search . . . 237 

XXIX. In a Mexican Prison Pen. . .245 

XXX. Marching into Mexico . . . 253 

XXXI. The Storming of Monterey . . 260 

XXXI 1 . Escape from the Prison Pen . . 269 

XXXI 1 1 . Battle of Buena Vista — Conclusion 279 


LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 

The Bombardment of Fort Brown Frontispiece 

“ Ahead in a corner gleamed two wild looking 

EYES * 57 

“‘The DEER IS thar!’ he said” . . . .81 

“ ‘ Brace against this tree, and pull easy like 

AT FUST . . . . . . . -113 

“ ‘ Shoot him ! Help ! ’ Oliver continued to cry ” 1 53 

“‘Don’t shoot!” he called, in Spanish” . .210 

“‘Don’t lag!’ shouted Ralph. ‘Come on!’” . 261 

The Capitulation of Monterey .... 282 



% 


PREFACE 


‘‘With Taylor on the Rio Grande” is a com- 
plete tale in itself, but forms the second of a line 
of three volumes to be known under the general 
title of the “ Mexican War Series.” 

In the first volume, entitled “ For the Liberty 
of Texas,” we followed the adventures of Dan and 
Ralph Radbury and their friends during those 
exciting days when the vast territory of Texas 
formed, with Coahuila, a part of Mexico, and when 
the Texans, under the daring leadership of Gen- 
eral Sam Houston and others, were fighting so 
bravely for liberty. 

The independence of Texas was followed, some 
years after, by the annexation of this State to the 
United States. This action was bitterly opposed 
by the Mexican government, who had in the past 
considered the United States a friendly republic. 
It is but fair to add that the annexation of Texas 
was likewise opposed by many of our own people, 
especially by those in the North, who felt that 
this annexation meant only the extension of 
slavery. 


5 


6 


PREFACE 


The bitterness between Mexico and the United 
States increased rapidly, and there was a feeling 
of war in the air ” long before war was actually 
declared. In these later days it is hard to find 
any good grounds for the war that followed, but 
open hostilities began over the boundary line be- 
tween the two republics, Mexico claiming that 
the Nueces River should mark the boundary, and 
our government sustaining the claim of Texas that 
the real boundary rnust be the Rio Grande (or Rio 
del Norte) River, about a hundred and twenty-five 
miles farther south. 

When the call to arms came, the Radbury 
boys were not behind in doing their duty, and in 
the following pages are given the particulars of 
General Taylor’s campaign on and near the Rio 
Grande, at Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, the fall 
of Matamoras, and, later on, the storming of Mon- 
terey and the brilliant victory at Buena Vista, — a 
victory which soon after brought to ‘‘ Old Rough 
and Ready ” the highest gift of the American 
people, — the Presidency of the United States. 


4 


WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO 
GRANDE' 




CHAPTER I. 

THE RADBURYS AND THEIR HOME 

“ Dan, when do you think father will return ? ” 

‘‘He said he would be home to-morrow by the 
latest, Ralph. He was uncertain about seeing Mr. 
Bartlett and making a sale of those horses. If he 
met Mr. Bartlett in Austin he ought to be home 
to-day.” 

“ I am anxious to learn what he’ll have to say 
about this trouble with Mexico. Do you think 
we’ll have another war ? ” continued Ralph Rad- 
bury, earnestly. 

“ More than likely,” returned Dan Radbury. 
“The Mexicans have never forgiven the United 
States for taking Texas into the Union, and they 
have never forgiven us for asserting our inde- 
pendence in the first place.” 

“ If it comes to war this State will be the battle- 
ground.” % • 


n 


12 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 


“More than likely — and we’ll see even hotter 
times than we did when we fought for liberty, 
Ralph.” 

“ Oh, Dan, no hotter than that fight at San 
Jacinto, — nothing could be more fierce than that, 
— and nothing more blood-curdling than the mas- 
sacre at Goliad and the fall of the Alamo. I’ll 
never forget them, never ! ” And Ralph Radbury 
shook his head sadly. He had been but a boy of 
eight at the time, and now he was nearly eighteen, 
but those thrilling scenes were burnt into his brain 
never to be effaced. 

“ I reckon you’re right,” responded the elder 
brother, slowly. “ My, but San Jacinto was hot, 
and no mistake, and I’m afraid we would have lost 
if it hadn’t been for Sam Houston ! How he did 
fight and urge us on ! ” 

“Will you go into the army again if we have a 
war with Mexico } ” 

“That will depend upon circumstances. Jf the 
Rangers go, of course I’ll go with them.” 

“ I’d like to go myself.” 

“Somebody ought to remain on the ranch.” 

“ Well, father could do that — along with 
Pompey and the rest of the hired help. He 
fought in the War of 1812 and ten years ago, 
and that’s enough for one man, to my way of 
thinking.” 

“Yes, father’s seen his full share of fighting. 


THE RADBURYS AND THEIR HOME 


13 


and ought to take it easy for the rest of his days. 
But there is no telling what he’ll do if the war 
fever strikes him again.” 

“ Well, perhaps there won’t be any war, — so 
we needn’t borrow trouble,” concluded Ralph, and 
rode on at a rapid gait, along the trail on the east 
bank of the Guadalupe River. 

It was the summer of the year 1845, here, 
in the heart of the great State of Texas, all was as 
calm and peaceful as though war had never been 
and never was to be. Crops were plentiful, cattle' 
and horses had never done better, and lawless 
Indians and desperadoes had been largely driven 
far to the westward. 

In a former volume of this series, entitled For 
the Liberty of Texas,” the reader was told how 
Amos Radbury, a widower from Georgia, had 
emigrated to Texas in the year 1832, and settled 
upon a promising tract of land not far from the 
town of Gonzales, and lying upon both sides of 
the Guadalupe. Amos Radbury had brought with 
him his two sons, and, young as they were, Dan 
and Ralph had assisted their father in clearing 
a part of the land, erecting a cabin and a cattle 
shelter, and in doing the other necessary work 
around the ranch, as it was thereafter called. In 
those days young Ralph had been rather delicate, 
but outdoor life had done wonders for the lad. 

The four years to follow the coming of the 


14 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

Radburys into Texas were full of peril and excite- 
ment. First came the troubles with the Indians 
and with the many noted desperadoes of the 
Southwest, and these were followed by the con- 
flict with Mexico for Texan freedom. In this war 
Amos Radbury, as a lieutenant of volunteers, had 
done his duty nobly, and so had the elder son 
Dan, wtio was in the very thickest of the contest 
at the bloody and never-to-be-forgotten battle of 
San Jacinto. Ralph, too, young as he was, had 
seen a little of the war, and had been taken a 
prisoner by the Mexicans, to escape, later on, 
through the friendliness of Big Foot, a Comanche 
Indian. 

During the years to follow the independence of 
Texas things had prospered wonderfully well with 
the Radburys. The ranch lands were increased a 
hundred acres or more, and the cattle had more 
than quadrupled in number. The rude log cabin 
had given place to a substantial house containing 
half a dozen rooms, and the barn and cattle sheds 
were also vastly improved. As an investment 
of his own, Dan, now twenty-four years old, was 
raising a number of ponies for the horse market at 
Austin, while Ralph had gone into the chicken 
and egg business with gratifying results. 

“ We’ll all be rich some day,” Dan was wont to 
remark. “ Texan land, such as ours, has no equal 
on the face of this earth.” And Ralph was 


THE RADBURYS AND THEIR HOME 1 ^ 

inclined to agree with him. The brothers worked 
early and late, rain or shine, and certainly de- 
served the prosperity that came to them. 

The single cloud to their happiness was the 
feebleness which occasionally came upon their 
father. Amos Radbury had been severely wounded 
at the battle of San Jacinto, and being by no 
means young, this had told upon him, in spite of 
his efforts to appear as well as ever. Some days 
he was able to do his full share of work, but there 
were others when he could scarcely stir because of 
the sharp, shooting pains which travelled up and 
down the lower limb which had been pierced by 
a Mexican bayonet. 

I’m only an old veteran,” he would sigh. I 
can’t get around as I used to.” 

“ Never mind, father,” one or the other of the 
sons would answer. “ You’ve done enough. Let 
us take hold.” 

‘‘But I am still too young to sit down and 
fold my hands,” Mr. Radbury would insist. 

“Well, you can boss things,” and the boys 
would make him rest in spite of his protestations. 

“ Father ought not to have gone on that trip to 
Austin,” remarked Ralph, after riding for awhile 
in utter .silence. “He didn’t want to let on, but 
I know his leg hurt him a good deal.” 

“ He told me he was going to consult a doctor 
while in the city,” answered Dan. “ He thinks if 


WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

he can get hold of some strong liniment it will 
do him lots of good.” 

“ I have a notion the leg is getting stiff.” 

“ I shouldn’t be surprised, although I would 
hate to see it. Imagine father stalking around 
with a stiff leg ! ” 

“ Well, that would be better than if he couldn’t 
walk at all, Dan. It won’t hurt his riding much, 
anyway.” 

'‘That’s true.” 

“ By the way, old Poke Stover was going to 
bring him some Indian medicine. I wonder 
where Poke is ” 

''"“I’m sure I don’t know. He doesn’t seem 
to like the way the country is filling up with 
settlers. He told me the last time I saw him that 
if it kept up, there wouldn’t be breathing-room 
enough for all hands,” added Dan, with a laugh, in 
which Ralph readily joined. 

“ Texas is big enough, goodness knows. But 
men like Poke think it is crowded if one settler 
can see another’s chimney smoke — he told me 
that himself. He was cut out for the wilderness 
' — like Davy Crockett.” 

“That’s true. Yet how Crockett did fight at 
the Alamo — and Poke fought, too! Those men 
are born fighters, whether of wild animals or men.” 

“ Right you are, and I’ve got someth-ing of a 
notion that Poke must be off to the Southwest, 


THE RADBURYS AND THEIR HOME 1 / 

Stirring up those rascally Indians who stole Hark- 
ness’s cattle. We can be thankful that none of 
our cattle have been driven off this year.” 

“ There’s no use to brag about that, or we may 
find some gone before we know it. Kilmer said 
he saw some fellows around day before yesterday 
he didn’t like the looks of.” Kilmer was a cow- 
boy attached to the ranch, having been engaged for 
that duty by Amos Radbury the summer previous. 

“ Where did he see them } ” 

“Up near Pecan Creek. They were riding 
back of the big rocks, and he says they tried their 
best to keep out of his sight. There were three 
of them, and he was pretty certain one of them 
was a rascal named Snaplot, a horse thief from 
Missouri.” 

“ If that’s the case, we certainly ought to keep 
our eyes open. We don’t want to lose any 
cattle, or any horses either.” 

“ I warned Kilmer to be on his guard, and 
he said he was going to follow up the trail to-day, 
if he could. He would have gone after them 
at once, but he had to help a couple of cows 
out of the west-end salt hole. He had a nasty 
time of it, and came pretty close to being kicked 
to death. When he got back the men had 
disappeared.” 

The brothers had now reached a point where 
the trail made a sharp turn to the right and then 


« 


1 8 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

passed over a series of rough rocks. To the left 
of them was the smoothly flowing river, glistening 
here and there in the sunlight ; to the right a grove 
of pecan and other trees, backed up by mesquite 
brush. 

The two were bound for the home of a neigh- 
bour who lived two miles up the stream. The 
neighbour was named Maurice Fielding, and he 
had offered to trade Ralph fifty odd chickens for 
two ponies from Dan’s stock. Dan was willing 
to make the trade providing the chickens were 
worth it. 

The ride on the rough rocks separated the boys 
somewhat, and for the time being the talk came to 
an end. Dan went ahead, and was just on the 
point of letting his horse ford a small brook flow- 
ing into the Guadalupe when a distant gunshot 
caused him to halt. 

“ Did you hear that ? ” he questioned, as he 
waited for Ralph to come up. 

“ I did,” was the answer. “ It came from the 
direction of Fielding’s house, didn’t it ” 

‘‘ So I should calculate. He must — There 
goes another shot ! And another ! He seems 
to be shooting quite lively to-day.” 

“There can’t be anything wrong, can there.?” 
asked Ralph, with an anxious look on his face. 
“Would it be possible that those men Nat Kilmer 
saw went in that direction .? ” 


THE RADBURYS AND THEIR HOME 


19 


“ Of course it’s possible, Ralph. But Fielding 
may be out hunting, although the shots didn’t 
come from the Big Woods. Come, we’ll soon 
learn the truth,” and so speaking Dan forded 
the brook and made off along the trail at his 
horse’s best speed, with his brother close behind. 


CHAPTER II. 

THE OLD SAN ANTONIO TRAIL 

In those days, when outside help was hard to 
obtain, the troubles of one ranchman were the con- 
cern of all of his neighbours. Those living in the 
same district were in close sympathy with each 
other, and woe betide the outsider who came to 
do wrong or raise a disturbance. 

Among themselves, each Texan trusted his fel- 
lows implicitly, and, strange as it may seem, a 
ranchman would frequently go off for several days 
or a week, and never think of locking up his cabin 
or house, or his stable. If anybody came on a 
visit during that time he was expected to make 
himself at home, and he usually did, and on going 
away he would leave behind a note, stuck to the 
kitchen table with a pin or a knife, stating he was 
willing to settle up on demand, — a demand that, 
usually, was never made. 

Ain’t got no time to take yer money,” was 
the way in which the average Texan would meet 
the offer of a settlement. *‘Come ag’in and 
20 


THE OLD SAN ANTONIO TRAIL 


21 


charge the bill to me,” and a friendly handshake 
would square matters all around. 

Maurice Fielding had come into the neighbour- 
hood two years before, bringing with him his wife, 
his ten-year-old daughter Alice, and his seventeen- 
year-old son, Oliver, generally called Ollie for 
short. The family came from Ohio, where they 
had once owned a valuable farm. But the estate 
had got into litigation and Maurice Fielding had 
come to Texas a comparatively poor man. 

The Fieldings were refined folks, and soon a 
warm feeling sprang up between them and the 
Radburys. During the first year of his coming 
to Texas Maurice Fielding had worked for Amos 
Radbury, leaving his son to take care of the newly 
made homestead. But now the pioneer had all he 
could do on his own place, where he raised corn 
and grain and not a few chickens and horses. 
Oliver Fielding did his full share of the work, 
and so did Mrs. Fielding and Alice. 

Ralph and Oliver had taken to each other from 
the start and the two were as much together as 
circumstances permitted. Dan also liked the new- 
comer, but he was older, while Ralph and Oliver 
were almost of an age. As for Alice, she was so 
sweet and affectionate that no one could help but 
like her, and both of the Radburys secretly wor- 
shipped her. 

A few minutes of hard riding brought Dan and 


22 W/TB TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

Ralph in sight of the Fielding homestead, a rough 
but comfortable cabin located on a fork of the 
Guadalupe, where the ground was high and sandy 
and free from the perils of inundation. Here a 
spot of several acres had been cleared, and here 
were located both a vegetable and a flower gar- 
den, the pride of Mrs. Fielding and her daughter. 

As the brothers came within sight of the ranch 
home they saw Oliver Fielding standing on the 
doorstep, gun in hand, and gazing anxiously in the 
direction of the forest to the north of the garden 
patch. 

“ Hullo, Ollie ! ” shouted Dan. Was that you 
shooting ? ” 

“ Dan ! ” was the reply. ‘‘ And Ralph ! How 
glad I am that you have come. Have you seen 
anything of my father ? ” 

“We have not,” replied Ralph. “What’s the 
trouble ? ” he went on, as he and Dan came closer. 

“Trouble enough. Six of the horses are gone.” 

“ Gone ! ” came from the Radburys simultane- 
ously. 

“ Yes, gone.” 

“Do you mean stolen .?” queried Dan. 

“ I reckon that’s the size of it. They were in 
the corral behind the barn last night. Now I 
can’t find them anywhere.” 

“ That looks bad certainly. The corral wasn’t 
broken down anywhere, was it.^^” 


the old SAN ANTONIO TRAIL 23 

No, but the gate was broken open.” 

Both Dan and Ralph gave a low whistle. 
‘‘ Horse thieves, sure ! ” muttered one and the 
other. 

“Father went off at daybreak, on an errand to 
Big Fork, so as to get back in time to see you 
about those chickens,” went on Oliver Fielding. 
“ I don’t suppose he ever thought to look into the 
corral even though he did have his horse close 
by.” 

“Then you don’t know how long the horses 
have been missing ” 

“No. I put them up last night about seven 
o’clock, and that’s the last I saw of them.” 

“Well, if your father is in the neighbourhood 
those shots ought to bring him home,” remarked 
Dan. 

Mrs. Fielding now came out, followed by Alice. 
Both gave the Radburys a warm greeting, but 
showed their anxiety plainly upon their faces. 

“ My husband spoke about some lawless looking 
men he met up on the range yesterday morning,” 
said Mrs. Fielding. “ Perhaps they came here 
during the night.” 

“ Nat Kilmer saw those fellows, too,” answered 
Dan, and told what the cowboy had said. 

“ That Jack Snaplot is a bad egg,” put in Oliver 
Fielding. “ I heard about him when I was over 
to San Antonio. One of the storekeepers was 


24 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

saying it was a wonder the sheriff hadn’t put him 
behind the bars long ago.” 

“My husband wishes no trouble with any of 
them,” said Mrs. Fielding, anxiously. “But we 
cannot afford the loss of six horses.” 

“ Six ! I wouldn’t let them have one ! ” burst 
out Ralph. “ Let us get on the trail if we can 
without delay.” 

“ Hadn’t you better wait for my husband ? ” 

“Yes, wait for papa,” added little Alice. “The 
bad men may shoot you all.” 

“We may do some shooting ourselves,” an- 
swered Dan, with a dry laugh. “No, I agree 
with Ralph, the sooner we get on the trail the 
better. As soon as Mr. Fielding comes he can 
follow us.” 

“ Will you help me ” put in Oliver, and his 
face brightened at once. “I — I was afraid you 
might object.” 

“ Not a bit of it, Ollie,” cried Ralph. “ Come, 
show us the way to the corral, and see to it that 
your gun is loaded.” 

“ Oh, I hope there won’t be any shooting ! ” 
faltered Mrs. Fielding. So far she had seen but 
little of the seamy side of ranch life. 

“ There won’t be any, unless those horse thieves 
refuse to come to terms when we meet,” answered 
Dan. 

Each of the Radburys carried his rifle, and now 


THE OLD SAN ANTONIO TRAIL 


25 


Oliver Fielding lost no time in reloading his own 
weapon. The latter led the way down to the cor- 
ral, and the others, including Mrs. Fielding and 
Alice, followed. 

I can’t see much of a trail,” remarked Oliver, 
while the examination of the locality was going 
on. These hoof-marks all look alike to me.” 

‘‘They don’t to me,” said Dan. “You see, 
we’re used to following a trail,” he explained, 
“ Here you are, as plain as day. Those hoof- 
marks were made after sundown yesterday, and 
I’ll wager a pony on it.” 

Ralph got down, and after a long look declared 
that his big brother was right. “ Come on,” he 
added, and set off without further ado. Oliver 
followed, while Dan lingered for a minute to re- 
quest Mrs. Fielding to send word back to his 
home should the party not return by nightfall. 

Fortunately, Oliver’s pet horse had not been 
among those missing, and he was soon in the 
saddle with the Radburys. The trail led off to 
the northwest, straight across the Fielding land 
grant, and through some low brush, where the 
ground was marshy and the hoof-marks as plain 
as day. 

Dan kept studying the marks for a long time, 
and then ventured his guess that three of the 
horses had been ridden, and gave his reasons for 
this conclusion. 


26 W/TI/ TAYLOR OAT THE RIO GRANDE 

“A horse with a load is always more steady 
than one without,” he said. His steps are more 
even, and, besides, his load makes him sink in 
deeper where the ground is soft. The three in 
front had riders, the other three were led.” 

“ It’s wonderful how much you know of these 
things ! ” exclaimed Oliver. “ How did you ever 
learn so much } ” 

‘‘You’ll get on to it in time, Ollie — after you’ve 
been out here as long as I’ve been. Why, I don’t 
know anything alongside of such a chap as Poke 
Stover. He can follow a trail as good as an 
Indian, and he can tell you lots of things I’d never 
dream of. Now if he was here, he’d probably tell 
just when the horses were taken, and how, and 
what sort of rascals took them, and a lot more. 
And his eyesight is so good he’d spot ’em long 
before we’d think of clapping eyes on ’em.” 

“ It must be the practice that does it,” returned 
Oliver, with something of a sigh. “But then 
some take to this outdoor life like a duck takes 
to water.” 

“ And so will you, in a year or two more,” put 
in Ralph. “I didn’t like it at all first; now I 
wouldn’t give it up for a good deal.” 

“Excepting to go into the army,” put in Dan, 
with a sly wink. 

“ Oh, that would be different.” 

“ Are you fellows going to war if there is war } ” 


THE OLD SAN ANTONIO TRAIL 2 / 

‘‘ I am,” answered Ralph. 

“ More than likely we will,” was Dan’s some- 
what slower reply. “ It all depends upon circum- 
stances.” 

I’d like to go myself, especially if the fighting 
is down here in Texas.” 

So speaking, the three continued on their way, 
until the Fielding range was left far behind and 
they plunged into a well-defined road running 
westward, — one of the old San Antonio trails, — 
afterward abandoned for the highway further south- 
ward. It was now the middle of the afternoon, 
and the slanting rays of the sun, shooting over 
the immense trees, cast long shadows across their 
pathway. All was quiet, saving for the occasional 
note of bird or the splashing of some tiny 
brook as it rushed through the bushes and over 
the rocks on its way to the river miles beyond. 

“Do you suppose we’ll see anything of those 
thieves before night comes on 1 ” questioned 
Oliver, as he cast a glance toward the declining 
sun. 

“I can’t say — it will depend upon whether 
they pushed straight on or stopped somewhere for 
food and rest,” answered Dan. 

“This road leads to Nolan’s ranch, I believe.’* 

“It does, but there are several forks, Ollie. 
The rascals may have branched off. I doubt if 
they would pass Nolan’s place in the daytime. 


28 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

He would be suspicious, and he’d make them halt 
until he had investigated. He suffered from 
horse thieves years ago, and he has no mercy 
for them.” 

‘'Well, I don’t know as a horse thief deserves 
much mercy. He does wrong with his eyes wide 
open, and ought to be ready to stand the conse- 
quences.” 

“No criminal is ready to do that. If they are 
cornered they’ll fight rather than risk arrest. We 
must be careful of what we are doing,” added 
Dan. 

On and on they galloped. Luckily the horses 
of all were comparatively fresh, so that good time 
was made on the grassy trail. Once they stopped 
to water their steeds and get a drink themselves, 
then they sped on until the first of the forks the 
elder Radbury had mentioned was gained. Here 
the trail they were following seemed to be much 
mixed, and it was a good five minutes before 
either Dan or Ralph ventured a suggestion as to 
what the horse thieves had done after arriving at 
the spot. 


CHAPTER HI. 


IN AND OUT OF A SINK - HOLE 

Getting down from the saddle, Dan made the 
first examination, and, after a few seconds of 
intense silence, Ralph followed. Oliver looked 
on with much interest, but knew enough not to 
disturb them. 

“ Well, what do you make out ? ” asked Dan, 
presently, as he straightened up and looked at his 
brother. 

“ I don’t know what to say, exactly. Three 
seem to have gone down Nolan’s way, and three 
this way. But up there are the tracks of five 
horses.” 

‘‘You are right, Ralph, three did start to go 
Nolan’s way, but two came back, a rider and an 
empty horse, and joined the others on the North 
Bend Fork. I reckon they came over yonder 
rocks, after going perhaps quarter of a mile or 
less.” 

“ But why did they separate, and then why did 
one rider come back to go up the F'ork.?” asked 
Oliver. 


29 


30 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

“ I don’t know, excepting it may have been that 
they thought it best only one of them should go 
past Nolan’s.” 

“ Perhaps the single rider went to Nolan’s to 
get something to eat,” suggested Oliver. 

“ Nolan wouldn’t let him have anything unless 
he questioned the man pretty sharply.” 

“But he might lie out of the truth,” put in 
Ralph. “A man who will steal horses won’t 
hesitate to lie a streak if he’s called on to do it.” 

The matter was talked over for a few minutes, 
and the three concluded to ride on to the ranch 
kept by George Nolan, one of the first settlers in 
that district, a man who had come in under 
Stephen Austin. Here they knew they could 
get something to eat, and possibly Nolan might 
join them in the attempt to capture the horse 
thieves. 

When the ranch of the pioneer was reached, 
they found Nolan sitting on his doorstep mending 
a broken saddle. He was a short, stocky man, 
with reddish hair and beard, and with blue eyes 
which could twinkle with merriment or be unusu- 
ally stern, as occasion required. 

“ Sure an’ I knew it ! ” he cried, with a trace of 
Irish accent, as he leaped up. “ You’re after that 
mon, ain’t ye, now } ” 

“We are,” cried Oliver, “ but how did you 
guess it ? ” 


IN AND OUT OF A SINK -HOLE 31 

“ Didn’t like his looks, an’ I was after knowing 
it was one of your father’s bosses,” returned 
Nolan. “ I didn’t believe his blarney, but I 
couldn’t prove anything, so I had to let him go.” 

“ Who was it .^ ” asked Dan. 

‘‘Why, don’t ye know.? Jack Snaplot — a bad 
egg, too.” 

“ Snaplot ! ” came from Dan and Ralph, simul- 
taneously. 

“ That was one of the men Nat Kilmer saw up 
to your place,” said Oliver. 

“ The same,” returned Dan. “ Did he ask for 
anything .? ” he went on, to George Nolan. 

“Yes, he wanted to buy some grub, but I 
wasn’t after sellin’ to him. I told him I knew 
him, and the best he could do was to clear out. 
I had my gun with me, so he didn’t stop to argy. 
Then I asked him about the hoss, but nary a bit 
o’ satisfaction would he give me on the p’int, but 
put spurs to the animal and rode off like the 
wind.” 

“ Up the road .? ” queried Ralph. 

“Yes; but I watched him from the top o’ 
yonder tree, and I saw him turn up the fork 
leading to Big Fork.” 

“Then he went to join the others.” 

Of course George Nolan wanted to hear their 
tale, and while he bustled around to get some- 
thing for them to eat, they told all they knew. 


32 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

to which he listened in absolute silence, but with 
a face growing darker each instant. When they 
had finished, he shook his face vigorously. 

“Ought to be hung — every mother’s son of 
thim ! ” he cried. 

“I don’t know about that, but I’d like to get 
back our horses,” answered Oliver. “We can’t 
afford to lose them.” 

“To be sure, lad, to be sure. Well — ” Nolan 
paused for a moment. “We’ll get thim back, 
don’t ye be after worryin’.” 

“Will you join us in this chase .^” questioned 
Dan. 

“Yes — as soon as ye have had somethin’ to 
eat. Now fall to, and I’ll feed the animals.” 

Nolan had a stew of beef on the table, also 
some corn bread and coffee, and the three fell 
to without delay. It was not an elaborate repast, 
and was served on a bare table, set with nothing 
more costly than tin and earthenware, yet all did 
full justice to what was there, for their long ride 
had made them hungry. While they were making 
way with the food without delay, the pioneer 
cared for their steeds and brought forth his own. 

Ten minutes later found all four in the saddle, 
with Dan and Nolan leading, and Ralph and 
Oliver bringing up the rear. N olan set the pace, 
and it was all the others could do to keep up 
with him. 


IN AND OUT OF A SINK- HOLE 


33 


“ We have not more than two hours o’ daylight 
left,” he explained, “an’ we must be after makin’ 
the best of it, lads. As soon as darkness comes 
the chase will end, unless they take to a trail with 
no forks.” 

“ The Big Fork hasn’t many branches,” said Dan. 

“True for you, Dan — but it has two, an’ that’s 
two too many, in the dark.” And Nolan laughed 
broadly. 

He had brought along his gun and also a pistol 
and a bowie-knife, and had given an extra pistol 
to Dan, so that the party was well armed. A 
silence followed the last remark, which continued 
as they rode through a deep wood, where the 
trail was less than two yards wide and frequently 
overhung with brush and low-drooping branches. 

At last, just as the sun disappeared over the 
hills in the west, they gained the Big Fork. At 
once Nolan leaped down, followed by Dan. 

“ Here is where Snaplot was after joinin’ the 
others,” said the pioneer. “ See, they waited 
around until he came.” 

“Then they lost just so much time,” said Dan. 
“ How many hours behind them do you reckon 
we are } ” 

“Not more than three — perhaps not more 
than two and a half.” 

“ Well, they’ll have to stop somewhere for food 
and water,” said Ralph. 


34 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

They pushed on, and now the trail became less 
easy to follow, as it climbed the rocks and passed 
through a hollow thick with thorn brush. At the 
bottom of the hollow was a sink-hole, similar to 
thousands of others scattered all over Texas. 

‘^Take care here!” cried Nolan, and he, Dan, 
and Ralph passed around in safety. Oliver was 
not so fortunate, and ere he knew it his horse was 
up to the knees in the treacherous spot. 

Hi I back ! ” he cried. 

What’s up } ” queried Ralph, who had gone 
on ahead. 

I’m sinking in the hole I ” 

‘‘Turn yer boss!” sang out Nolan, coming 
back. Quick, turn him to the left ! ” 

Oliver tried to do as advised, but the steed was 
stuck and could scarcely budge. 

It was a trying moment and one full of peril. 
But Dan was equal to the emergency, and did 
something he had seen his father do years before. 
Reaching back, he hit Oliver’s horse over the 
nose with the butt of his gun. At once the steed 
gave a lunge backward and turned to one side. 
Then Dan made another pass, and in sheer terror 
the horse plunged again and in a twinkle was out 
of the hole and galloping up the trail at his wildest 
burst of speed. 

“ Good fer you, Dan ! ” sang out Nolan. “ ’Twas 
a clever trick, upon me mind it was I ” 


IN AND OUT OF A SINK- HOLE 35 

Hold tight, Oliver ! ” cried Ralph, and started 
in pursuit, and the others came after. Soon the 
hollow was left far behind, and then the runaway 
steed gradually slackened his speed until Oliver 
brought him to a halt. 

My, but that was an experience I didn’t calcu- 
late on,” said Oliver, with a blanched face. 

‘‘Ye should have jumped from the boss,” 
admonished Nolan. “ Supposin’ he had gone 
down Ye would have been after goin’ down 
with him.” 

“ Be careful of where you ride after this,” said 
Dan. “That always was a nasty sink-hole,” he 
added. 

On they went once more. It was to be a moon- 
light night, and already the new moon was showing 
itself over the tops of the trees. High overhead 
countless stars were peeping forth. All was quiet, 
for the day-birds had gone to rest and those of 
the night had not yet awakened. Presently a few 
frogs began to croak dismally. 

Two miles more were covered when they came 
within sight of what had, in years gone by, been 
the cabin of one of the early settlers. But the 
settler, his wife, and his three children had been 
murdered by the treacherous Indians, and all they 
had of value had been carried off. The cabin was 
now tumbled down at one end and the near by 
cattle-sheds were a mass of half -burnt ruins. The 


36 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

well was fallen in, and tall grass and weeds were 
everywhere in evidence. 

“ Wonder if they stopped here,” said Dan, as 
the party drew closer. 

He had scarcely spoken when Nolan called a 
sudden halt. 

“ Stop — I saw somebody ! ” he said, in a half 
whisper. “ Git behind the trees, quick ! ” 

He led the way, and the others quickly followed. 
Once behind the trees, all four dismounted. 

“ ril go forward and investigate,” said the pio- 
neer. Hold yourselves in readiness to strike, if 
I call to ye.” 

To this the others agreed, and in a moment 
more George Nolan disappeared in the darkness, 
leaving the three younger members of the party 
to themselves. 


CHAPTER IV. 


JUAN THE GIANT 

I HOPE he doesn’t get shot,” remarked Oliver, 
after a total silence of several minutes. 

‘‘ Trust Nolan to take care of himself,” answered 
Dan. He has been in some of the worst of our 
Indian fights, and I doubt if there is that horse 
thief in Texas who can get the best of him.” 

But little more was said just then, each strain- 
ing his eyes and ears to take in what might 
follow. Nolan had disappeared in the darkness 
under the trees and they could not tell whether 
he was making his way to the dilapidated cabin 
or not. 

Suddenly a shot rang out, followed by another, 
and then they heard a cry of alarm, coming in a 
strange voice. The cry was followed by a shout 
from Nolan : 

“Watch for thim, boys ! ” shouted the pioneer. 
“ One of thim’s cornin’ your way ! ” 

“ Halt ! ” exclaimed Dan, leaping from behind 
the trees. “ Halt, or I will fire ! ” 

He had seen a man rushing for the rear of what 
37 


- 38 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

had been the cattle-sheds, and now he made after 
the individual. 

“ Look out, Dan,” came from Ralph, and the 
younger Radbury had scarcely spoken when a* 
pistol rang out and a bullet whizzed through the 
branches over Dan’s head. Dan wanted to fire in 
return, but the horse thief had already disappeared. 

“I’m going after him,” said the elder Radbury, 
and galloped off, the darkness swallowing him up 
almost instantly. 

Ralph scarcely knew what to do. He wanted 
to help Nolan, yet he did not wish to see his 
brother go off alone on such a dangerous mission. 
While he was deliberating another shot rang out, 
followed by a yell of pain. 

The voice was a strange one, and Ralph right- 
fully guessed that Nolan had laid one of the horse 
thieves low. A moment later the third of the 
thieves appeared, riding one of the stolen horses. 

“ Go up and help Nolan,” cried Ralph to Oliver. 
“ I’m going to help Dan,” and away he went, 
riding as hard as the nature of* the timberland 
would permit. It was a dangerous proceeding, 
but Ralph did not think of himself, his mind was 
centred upon Dan’s welfare. 

As Dan rode on, the fellow he was after came 
into sight, and a few seconds later his companion 
in crime also appeared. The first was Jack Snap- 
lot, and the second a well-known Mexican horse 


/UAJV THE GIANT 


39 


thief known as Juan the Giant, because of his 
unusual height, his real name being Juan Badillo. 
It may be mentioned here that Badillo had once 
.been attached to Santa Anna’s army as a cannon- 
eer, and as such had fought at San Jacinto, but 
now he had given up army life and was badly 
wanted by both the Mexican and the United 
States governments for half a dozen crimes. 

“ It’s Juan the Giant ! ” cried Ralph, who had 
seen the man several years before. What shall 
we do } ” 

We’ll follow,” answered Dan, recklessly. 
‘‘Stop!” he cried. “You must give up those 
horses I ” 

A mocking' laugh was the only reply, and the 
two horse thieves pressed forward through the 
timber with increased speed. Then, from the rear 
came a shout : 

“ Where are ye .^ ” It was Nolan who was ask- 
ing the question. 

“ Here I After two of them I ” answered Ralph. 
“This way!” And he continued to call until he 
was certain the pioneer was heading in the proper 
direction. 

It was not long before the horse thieves came 
to a brook and down this they made their way, 
thinking to hide their trail, should their pursuers 
wait until daylight to follow them up. From the 
brook they proceeded northward, to where there 


40 W/T/f TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

were half a dozen caves in the hills, the stamping- 
ground, several years before, of the most noted 
desperadoes of the Southwest. Here they thought 
to rest for the night, feeling certain they would 
not be disturbed. 

But they did not know the temper of those fol- 
lowing them, for they imagined they had to con- 
tend with Maurice Fielding and his son, both of 
peaceful dispositions, and their hired help. Had 
they known Nolan was after them they would 
have pushed on with renewed vigour. 

The chase continued, and soon Nolan gained 
the side of the Radburys. “ Brought one of thim 
down,” he explained. “ He got it in the hip, an’ 
I left young Fielding to watch him till we git 
back.” 

He gave a low whistle when told that Juan the 
Giant was one of the men in front, and said they 
must run the fellow down by all means. 

“ He’s worse nor Jack Snaplot,” he remarked. 
“ Why, the government would give a tidy sum to 
catch him. He once stole a lot of papers from 
the Texan commissioners, and made a lot of 
trouble in consequence. We’ll be after gittin’ a 
feather in our cap to run him down.” 

But this was not so easy, and after crossing the 
brook they had to slow up, not knowing in what 
direction to turn next. 

“I’ll be after scoutin’ around a bit,” said the 


/[/AJV THE GIANT 


41 


pioneer, and did so, and the others did the same. 
The moon was now rising, and by the silvery rays 
Ralph presently made out some hoof-marks which 
seemed fresh. He got down to examine them, 
and then began to follow them up without notify- 
ing the others. 

Ralph was on the right trail, and soon he heard 
a crashing in the brush ahead of him. The two 
horse thieves had separated, so as to puzzle their 
possible pursuers, although they expected to meet 
again at the caves just mentioned. 

As the younger of the Radburys proceeded 
deeper and deeper into the wilderness on the hill- 
side, he did not notice that he was losing all 
trace of his brother and Nolan. The trail was as 
fresh as ever, and now he heard a horse’s hoof- 
beats as they struck on the loose stones of the 
hillside. 

“ Dan ! ” he called, softly, but no answer came 
back. Then he halted in sudden alarm. Where 
was his brother, and where was the old pioneer } 

‘‘They can’t be far off,” he reasoned, and then 
he called again, this time in a slightly louder 
voice. But only the faint night breeze, as it 
swept through the topmost branches of the trees, 
answered him. 

“ It won’t do to go on alone,” he reasoned, and 
started to turn back, when he heard a faint crash- 
ing in the bushes on his right. He turned in the 


42 IV/TJI TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

direction and saw somebody on horseback, but it 
was too gloomy to make out the rider. “ Dan ! ” 
he called. “ Mr. Nolan, is that you ? ” 

No answer came back, but the unknown horse- 
man continued to advance until within a dozen 
feet of Ralph. Then the youth saw that he was 
unusually tall, and carried a pistol levelled in his 
hand before him. 

“Juan the Giant ! ” he ejaculated, and started to 
raise his own gun, but the Mexican stopped him. 

“ Drop dat ! ” he cried, in broken English. 
“ Drop dat, or I kill ! ” And as he came still 
closer, the muzzle of his long pistol was thrust 
almost into Ralph’s face. 

“What do you mean by stealing Mr. Fielding’s 
horses ? ” asked Ralph, hardly knowing what to do 
or say. 

“Hoss all right,” replied the tall Mexican. 
“My hoss, dis. Say, you come wid me, no talk 
n eider ! ” 

“ Come with you ? ” ejaculated Ralph. 

“Yes, come wid me. No talk more, or I shoot 
quick ! Come ! ” 

There was a wicked look in the tall Mexican’s 
eye, and his finger twitched nervously on the 
trigger of his pistol. Had the youth made the 
slightest movement toward raising his gun, Juan 
the Giant would have shot him down beyond the 
shadow of a doubt. 


THE GIANT 


43 


There was no help for it, and in the end Ralph 
was forced to make his way up the hillside toward 
the caves. Several times he started to speak, but 
the Mexican cut him short. “ No talk now — 
talk by-me-by,” he muttered, grimly. 

The first of the caves was gained, when of a 
sudden two shots rang out through the midnight 
air. They came from the direction of the brook, 
and in a few minutes were followed by several 
other reports in rapid succession. Both Ralph 
and the Mexican listened to the firing in wonder. 
But the Mexican said nothing, and soon ordered 
Ralph forward once more. 

They stopped at the second of the caves, a 
large, gloomy affair, the floor littered with rubbish 
and the bones of animals brought there for food, 
and the walls heavy with the smoke and soot of 
many camp-fires. In front of the cave stood a 
blasted cedar, and into the side of this were cut 
the initials of a score or more of men who had 
been the terror of peaceful Texan settlers for 
years. Let me add that three years after the war 
with Mexico this tree was cut down by a settler 
named White, and the pieces carried away by 
curiosity hunters. 

The cave gained, Juan the Giant made Ralph 
dismount and hand over his weapons, including 
his hunting-knife. Then he ordered the youth to 
go ahead into the cave, while he himself tethered 


44 WITH TAYLOR ON 7'HE RIO GRANDE 

the horses outside. Then the Mexican placed 
himself on guard, to watch for the appearance of 
Jack Snaplot. 

It must be confessed that Ralph now found 
himself in anything but an agreeable frame of 
mind. 

“I ran right into him as careless as could be,” 
he muttered, dismally. A little child couldn’t 
have done worse. I wonder what he’s going to do 
with me ? ” 

Inside of the cave it was pitch-dark, and he had 
not gone far before he stumbled over a large, flat 
rock, which in days gone by the desperadoes had 
used for a table, where they might eat, drink, and 
play cards. On this rock he sat down to await 
developments. 

A half-hour went by, and to the youth it seemed 
an age. Juan the Giant remained at his post out- 
side, with eyes and ears on the alert, still hoping 
that Snaplot would come. The Mexican was sure 
there had been a fight near the brook, but he felt 
equally certain that the Texan horse thief could 
take care of himself.- 

But the time went on, and still Snaplot failed 
to put in an appearance, nor did any one else 
show himself. Then the Mexican lit a cigarette, 
smoked it up, and lit another. At length he 
began to talk to himself under his breath in 
Spanish. 


/C/AJV THE GIANT 


45 


What are you going to with me ? ” It was 
Ralph who asked the question. He had grown 
tired of sitting on the rock. 

‘‘You go back dare,” growled the Mexican. 
“ Go back ! ” And he raised his pistol. 

“But what are you going to do.^” insisted the 
youth. 

“ I soon show you. Go back, or I kill ! ” And 
again his pistol came up, and Ralph was forced to 
return to the interior of the cave. A little later 
Juan the Giant followed him and ignited a torch, 
thus lighting up the scene. 


CHAPTER V. 


A MIDNIGHT ADVENTURE 

To go back to Dan and George Nolan a few 
minutes after Ralph left them. Both were busy 
looking for the trail of the horse thieves when 
the elder Radbury suddenly raised his head and 
looked around. 

“ Ralph ! ” he called. 

As we know, there was no answer, and Dan 
quickly turned to the old pioneer. 

Do you know where Ralph is, Nolan ? ” 

‘‘Sure an’ I do not,” was the quick reply. “I 
was after thinkin’ he was with yerself.” 

“And I thought he was on the other side of 
you ! ” 

Both began to Call the youth, but without suc- 
cess. In the midst of this they heard a noise 
ahead, in a cedar brake, and both started in the 
direction. In a moment more Dan came in sight 
of Jack Snaplot. 

“ Stop ! ” he cried, but Snaplot immediately 
disappeared, and they heard him urging his steed 
along over the rocks leading up the hillside. 

46 


A MIDNIGHT ADVENTURE 


47 


Both immediately started in pursuit, and for the 
time being Ralph was forgotten, neither thinking 
the youth was in any immediate danger. On they 
tore, through the brush and over a stony clearing, 
where Nolan caught sight of the horse thief. 
But there was no time for a shot, and now Snap- 
lot plunged into a hollow with a suddenness that 
threw him over his horse’s head and left the steed 
riderless. 

“ He’s lost his horse ! ” shouted Dan, as the 
animal came toward him on a walk. 

“ There he goes — down into the gully ! ” an- 
swered George Nolan. Catch the boss an’ then 
let’s be after catching the villain.” 

To secure the horse-was easy, and not knowing 
what else to do with him, Dan tied him to a 
near-by tree, at the same time taking a good look 
around so that he might recognise the vicinity 
later on. Then he rode after Nolan, who was 
now making his way into the hollow on foot, 
using his horse as a shield from a possible shot 
should Snaplot take it into his head to fire. 

“ You had better be after going to the other 
side o’ the gully,” said the old pioneer. “By 
doin’ that we can cage him sure,” and Dan fol- 
lowed the advice. 

The moon was now shining brightly, along with 
countless stars, so the hollow, often called an 
arroyo in Texas and Mexico, was by no means 


48 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 


dark. Each moved along with caution, yet almost 
before he knew it Dan found himself face to face 
with Snaplot. 

The horse thief by this time was thoroughly 
aroused, and realised that he must act quickly or 
he would either be killed or captured. He raised 
a pistol and fired twice in rapid succession. But 
his aim was poor, and before the second shot 
Dan had fallen flat and out of sight in the tall 
grass. 

The shots revealed Snaplot to Nolan, but the 
pioneer was not in a position to fire just then, and 
instead he ran in something of a semicircle, to 
come up in the horse thief’s rear. In the mean- 
time Dan also withdrew, not wishing to give 
Snaplot the chance of firing again upon him in 
such an exposed position. 

A long wait followed, each side not knowing 
what to do next. To a certain degree the horse 
thief felt himself cornered, and he wondered if the 
others would wait until daylight revealed his posi- 
tion to them, and he likewise wondered what had 
become of his two companions, not knowing that 
one had already been shot down. ‘‘Juan ought 
not to desert me ; it ain’t handsome o’ him,” he 
muttered to himself. For the third man, whose 
name was Bill Myers, he cared but little. 

But Nolan was now on his mettle, and leaving 
his horse tethered to some brush, he began to 


A MIDNIGHT ADVENTURE 


49 


crawl forward like a snake through the long grass. 
At the same time Dan did likewise from a point 
at right angles to the trail of the pioneer. 

Snaplot heard a slight movement, but, try his 
best, could see nothing. Becoming alarmed as the 
sounds came closer, he attempted to shift his 
position. At once George Nolan opened fire on 
him, grazing his shoulder. 

In a rage over the pain of his wound, the horse 
thief fired twice in return, but without effect. 
Then Dan, noting the pistol-flashes, used his gun, 
and by pure luck struck Snaplot in the calf of the 
leg. This brought the rascal to his knees, and 
he rolled over with a shriek of anguish and then 
began to beg that they stop firing. 

“ Do you surrender 1 ” demanded Nolan. 

“ Yes ! ” was the surly answer. 

<‘Then throw your guns this way.” 

Against his will. Jack Snaplot complied, and, 
crawling forward, Dan picked up the weapons. 
Then both crawled up to the horse thief and kept 
him covered until they had satisfied themselves 
that he could do no further harm. 

Think yer smart, I reckon^ to catch me,” said 
the thief, grimly. 

‘‘ I was after calculating to catch ye,” answered 
Nolan, coldly. “ Can ye walk } ” 

‘‘No, I’m shot through the leg,” and now the 
rascal groaned with pain. 


50 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

They made an examination, to prove the truth 
of what he said, and then Dan bound up the wound 
with a neckerchief. 

“What has become of Juan the Giant?” asked 
Dan. 

“ I don’t know.” 

“ Where did you separate ? ” 

“At the brook.” 

This was all Jack Snaplot could or would tell. 
His wound pained him a great deal and he begged 
to be allowed to rest where he had fallen. 

“ I don’t know whether to trust you or not,” 
said Nolan, slowly. “I think I’ll tie you up,” 
and this he did, using some of the harness straps 
for that purpose. Then the horses were all 
brought to the vicinity, and shortly afterward Dan 
and the old pioneer set off on the hunt for Ralph 
and the Mexican. 

The hollow had scarcely been left behind, when 
the moon went under a heavy bank of clouds, 
leaving them in almost total darkness. 

“ We’ve lost the trail now sure,” said Dan. “ I 
must say I haven’t the least idea where we are 
going.” 

“ We’ll be after strikin’ something ere long,” 
responded Nolan, hopefully. “Don’t ye lose 
courage, Dan. Ralph can’t be so very far off — 
nor that greaser either.” 

“ I don’t know about that. If he was close by. 


A MIDNIGHT ADVENTURE 5 I 

why didn’t he come up when the firing was going 
on, answer me that ? ” 

They proceeded up the hillside, feeling certain 
that Juan the Giant must be bound for the caves, 
which were fairly well known to the pioneer. 

At last the first of the caves was gained, and 
with extreme caution Nolan proceeded to make an 
examination of the place and of the woods sur- 
rounding it. Dan remained behind on guard. 

The moon had now come out again, bathing all 
once more in silvery brightness. Quarter of an 
hour passed and Nolan came back, his face plainly 
showing his disappointment. 

“Nothin’,’’ he said, laconically. “Nary a trace 
of thim anywhere, Dan.” 

“Perhaps they didn’t come this way, after all.” 

“If they didn’t, what way did they go ” 

“ I’m sure I don’t know, unless they struck out 
for the Cross Timbers.” 

“They must be somewhere. Let us move on 
to the caves beyant the ridge,” went on the old 
pioneer. 

In lieu of something better to do, Dan was will- 
ing, and once more they set off. Both were tired, 
for climbing the hillside through the thorny brush 
and over the smooth rocks was no easy task. 
Once Nolan slipped and scratched himself severely 
on the thorns, but he did not complain beyond a 
grunt of disgust as he picked himself up. 


52 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

At last the pair came in sight of the second cave 
and once again they halted. This time Dan in- 
sisted upon doing the investigating, and he had 
not proceeded far when he came back in excite- 
ment. 

“Two horses are there, close to the mouth of 
the cave ! ” he cried, in a low voice. “ One of the 
animals is Ralph’s.” 

“Then he and the Mexican must be in the 
cave, Dan.” 

“I think so myself, but if Ralph is inside he 
must be a prisoner.” 

“ True for you.” 

“Let us lose no time in getting into the cave.” 

“Be easy, me b’y, be easy,” cautioned the old 
pioneer. “ It may be better to make haste slowly, 
as the old proverb has it. If the greaser has your 
brother a prisoner, we had better try to take him 
by surprise.” 

So speaking, Nolan started off for the cave, 
with Dan beside him, both without dreaming of 
the surprise which awaited them. 


CHAPTER VI. 


THE CAVE ON THE HILLSIDE 

As soon as he entered the cave, Juan the Giant 
struck a flint and steel he carried, and made a light 
with which he lit a torch. This light threw gro- 
tesque shadows on the walls and flooring, but on 
the whole made the interior far more cheerful to 
Ralph than it had been. 

The youth could not help but watch the Mexi- 
can curiously, for Juan the Giant seemed to be re- 
volving in his mind something out of the ordinary. 
Every minute or two he would look at Ralph 
curiously as if about to speak, and then turn away 
as if he had changed his mind. 

‘‘ What are you going to do ? ” Ralph asked, 
when he could stand the silence no longer. 

*^You name Radbury, hey.^” queried the Mexi- 
can, with a sharp look. “ You son of him Amos 
Radbury, hey ? ” 

‘‘Yes, I am Ralph Radbury, the son of Amos 
Radbury,” answered the youth. “ What of 
that ” 

“ I know you dadder.” 

S3 


54 PV/TIf TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

“ You mean my father ? ” 

Juan the Giant nodded. “Him a werry good 
man — nice man, Senor Radbury,” and he smiled 
broadly, but in a fashion that Ralph did not think 
oversincere. 

“ If you think my father is a nice man, why do 
you keep me a prisoner ? ” 

At this the Mexican shrugged his shoulders. 
He had some Indian blood in his veins, and he 
was as shrewd as he was unprincipled. “You try 
to get me into trouble, not so, hey ? I let you go, 
you shootta me maybe.” 

“What do you want to turn horse thief for.?” 

“Me no hoss tief — all big mistake him. I go 
to trade bosses, dat’s all.” 

“ Well, you had better give me my gun and 
knife and let me go,” went on Ralph, not wishing 
to anger the rascal by insisting that he was a 
thief. 

But at the request Juan the Giant shook his 
head determinedly. 

“No, you stay by me, you all right here,” he 
answered. “ I no hurt Senor Radbury’s son, no.” 

“But I don’t want to stay here.” 

Again the Mexican shrugged his shoulders. 
Then of a sudden he caught Ralph by the arm. 

“March along!” he cried. “Come! You 
make trouble, you be sorry ! ” and he shook his 
pistol suggestively. 


THE CAVE ON THE HILLSIDE 55 

Where do you want me to go ? ” 

“ I show you. March ! ” 

There was no help for it, and Ralph moved on, 
to the rear of the cave, which proved to be a 
rambling affair shaped somewhat like the letter 
L. Juan came close behind him, carrying all of 
the weapons and holding the torch high overhead. 
Once Ralph thought to turn on the Mexican, but a 
look at the tall fellow made him realise how fool- 
hardy such a movement might prove. 

The extreme rear of the cave reached, the 
youth was surprised to behold a narrow passage- 
way leading, fifty feet further on, to a series of 
rude stone steps. Mounting the steps, the pair 
gained the entrance to another cave. Here the 
passageway was not much over a foot wide, and 
Juan the Giant squeezed through only with the 
greatest of difficulty. 

‘‘You stay here now,” he said, in his broken 
English. “ Make noise, I come back and tie you 
so ! ” and he placed his hand over his mouth to 
signify that he meant a gag. 

“ Are you going to leave me ” questioned 
Ralph, in fresh alarm. The inner cave looked 
far from inviting. 

“Leave little while, dat’s all. Keep still!” 

With these words the tall Mexican retraced his 
steps and squeezed himself out of the smaller 
cave. Close at hand was a tall, thin stone, and 


56 JV/T// TAYLOR ON THE RIO OR A NEE 

with an effort he placed this in the narrow pas- 
sageway, blocking it completely and leaving Ralph 
in total darkness. Then the youth heard him 
tramp back whence he had come. 

If Ralph had been dismayed before, he was 
doubly so now, for he felt that the Mexican had 
some new scheme which he intended to work. 
What the scheme was he could not imagine. 

“ He’s up to no good, that’s certain,” he mused, 
with a sober face. His pretending to be a friend 
to father is all a farce. I reckon I can be thankful 
if I get out of this adventure with a whole skin.” 

Ralph wondered what had become of Dan and 
Nolan. Were they on Juan Badillo’s trail or were 
they having their hands full with Jack Snaplot ? 

If they were coming this way they ought to 
be close by,” he reasoned. He thought some- 
thing of calling out, but then realised that the 
cave must be far underground and that his voice 
would not carry beyond the rocky walls of his 
prison. 

He searched through his pockets and at last 
found a couple of brimstone matches which Juan 
the Giant had failed to take from him. Light- 
ing one of these, he tore from the lining of his 
jacket some cloth and ignited it for tinder. 
Then he hunted around until he found a half- 
burnt torch which he relit after much difficulty. 
By swinging the torch around half a dozen times 



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THE CAVE ON THE HILLSIDE 57 

he at last made it blaze up and throw out consid- 
erable light. 

Light in hand, he began an examination of his 
prison. As said before, the inner cave was a 
small affair, the roof being just above his head. 
It was crooked, and on the flooring lay loose 
stones and several heaps of rubbish. Over these 
he stumbled until he came in view of the end of 
the cave. 

Suddenly a sight caught his eyes which made 
him come to a sudden halt. Ahead in a corner 
gleamed two wild looking eyes, — the angry and 
treacherous eyes of some beast of the forest. 

Ralph was shocked, and leaped back as soon as 
he saw his danger ; for danger there was and of 
a sort not to be despised. At the same moment 
the wild beast let out a snarl of rage, and by the 
sound the youth knew that the animal was a moun- 
tain wolf, a creature which grows to great size and 
strength in certain portions of the Southwest. 

The mountain wolf continued to snarl and 
Ralph continued to retreat, holding the torch 
well before him, for he knew that all wild ani- 
mals have a horror of fire and will not go close 
to it if they can possibly avoid it. 

The youth wished he had a gun or a pistol, but 
nothing was at hand excepting the loose rocks, and 
he picked up one of these, of uneven surface and 
weighing several pounds. 


58 JV/TJ/ TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

He could not imagine how the wolf had gotten 
into the cave unless by the front entrance. If 
this was so, the appearance of himself and the 
Mexican must have driven the beast through to 
the rear, and here he was now at bay. 

As Ralph retreated he kept his eyes on the wolf, 
and presently he saw the beast move along one 
of the walls of the cave, as if to get behind his 
human enemy. Instantly Ralph turned the torch 
in that direction, at which the wolf let out a fierce 
snarl of rage and retreated to the other side of the 
rocky chamber. 

The youth was in a cold perspiration by this time 
and would have given all he was worth to be miles 
away from this horrible situation. But he could 
not flee and had to stand his ground, and this he 
did, in the centre of the cave, while the wolf cir- 
cled around and around in a vain endeavour to get 
out of the reach of the torch and attack him from 
the rear. 

At last, with a yelp, the wolf made a leap 
straight for Ralph’s shoulder. Instantly the 
youth let fly the stone with all of his strength. 
It caught the beast fairly and squarely on the nose 
and drew blood, and with a howl the wolf dropped 
to the flooring and slunk into a corner. 

The success of this throw encouraged Ralph 
somewhat, but he realised that the worst of the 
battle was still to come, for the eyes of the beast 


THE CAVE ON THE HILLSIDE 


now blazed like those of a serpent. As quickly as 
he could he caught up another stone and began 
to swing the light into a brighter blaze. The 
torch was now pretty well burnt out, and he made 
a silent prayer that it might last until the awful 
battle should come to a close. 

A few minutes passed — to Ralph they seemed 
an eternity — and the wolf made a second leap, 
but this time high up, as if to come down upon 
the youth’s head. His back struck the ceiling of 
the cave, and at the same instant Ralph threw the 
stone, which merely grazed the wolf’s shoulder. 
Then down came that awful weight on the youth’s 
left arm. 

The wolf tried to cling fast, but with a twist 
Ralph jerked himself loose, and then, with the 
quickness of lightning, he thrust the burning 
torch directly into the beast’s face. 

There was a snarl, and the hissing and odour of 
burning hair, and the wolf fell back. His left eye 
had been almost put out by the torch, and yelping 
with pain he turned and sped for the rear of the 
cave. Here he remained for several seconds, as 
if meditating another attack, then turned and 
leaped up on a shelf of rock out of sight. 

With bated breath Ralph watched the various 
movements of the beast, at the same time picking 
up another stone lying at his feet. He was sur- 
prised to see the animal disappear, and he won- 


5 ? WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

dered if there was another cave, opening up from 
the shelf. With extreme caution he approached 
the spot, and getting up on a mound of rocks sur- 
veyed it at something of a distance. There was a 
gloomy hollow beyond, and the wolf had utterly 
disappeared within it. 


CHAPTER VII. 


THE MESQUITE BRAKE 

It was now high time to obtain a new torch, and 
Ralph began to search around immediately, before 
that in his hand should go out. Fortunately, those 
which had been used before were still in evidence, 
and soon he had another, even better than the 
first with which he had provided himself. 

Lighting the second torch, he whirled the old 
one over his head and hurled it far into the space 
behind the rocky shelf. It struck a barrier well 
to the rear and dropped on a rock still burning 
brightly. He expected a growl from the moun- 
tain wolf to follow, but all remained as silent as 
before. 

This puzzled him. Was the beast dead or had 
he escaped through some passage into the outer 
world.? He listened with strained ears, but no 
sound reached him excepting the distant trickling 
of water as it fell over the rocks. 

Ralph’s curiosity now became high concerning 
the opening into which he had flung the torch. 
If it led to the outer air he was greatly tempted to 

6i 


62 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

explore it, even at the risk of meeting the moun- 
tain wolf again. 

• “ I’ve got to risk something,” was what he told 

himself. “ When that greaser comes back there’ll 
be no telling what he’ll do with me.” 

Lighting another torch, he climbed upon the 
shelf and began to move forward, with a light in 
each hand. He could not stand upright and soon 
he had to drop to his knees. The passageway was 
not over a yard wide, and soon it narrowed to half 
that width. He looked ahead as far as he could, 
but the wolf was gone, and it may be added here 
that Ralph never saw the beast again. 

He was now certain that the passageway led to 
the outer world, for there was a current of cool, 
fresh air, totally different from the mouldy atmos- 
phere of the caves below. He continued to crawl 
on, over some dirt and stones which seemed to 
have fallen but recently, and this was a fact, for 
before that the caves had had no outlet up the 
hillside. 

At last he came to a mass of brushwood, and 
pushing this aside he emerged into the silvery 
moonlight and stood upright. He found himself 
in the midst of a mesquite brake, with here and 
there a lonely cedar or hemlock tree. All was as 
silent around him as a tomb. 

, For the moment after coming into the opening, 
Ralph gazed around anxiously, then, satisfied that 


THE MESQUITE BRAKE 63 

the wolf had taken himself off for good, he began 
to wonder what had best be his next move. 

“ I suppose I had better get down the hillside 
first,” he reasoned. “ If that Mexican finds me 
missing he’ll be sure to follow through that pas- 
sageway, if he can get through. He may — ” 

The youth broke off short, for just then a 
gunshot rang out on the still air. It came from 
below him, and he knew the weapon must have 
been discharged close to the entrance of the 
caves. 

“ Somebody must be having a fight with Badillo,” 
he muttered. “I hope they capture him — he 
certainly deserves it.” 

As quickly as he could he began to climb down 
the hillside, which was no easy task, for the rocks 
were smooth and slippery, and there were several 
difficult arroyos to cross where the thorn bushes 
grew only too thickly. At one spot he had to 
make a wide detour, and, consequently, it was a 
good half-hour before he reached the lower trail 
— that which he had travelled on coming to the 
caves. 

Suddenly a form appeared in the darkness, fol- 
lowed by another, and a second shot rang out. 
Then Ralph made out his brother and called to 
him. 

Ralph ! Where have you been } ” demanded 
Dan as he came up. 


64 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

“Been in the caves, a prisoner of Juan the 
Giant. Have you seen him } ” 

“Yes, and Nolan just fired at him. The rascal 
is trying to escape on one of the horses.” 

“We must catch him by all means.” 

“That is easy enough to say, but it’s not so 
easy to do in the darkness, even if it is moonlight,” 
grumbled Dan. His climbing was beginning to 
tire him. 

“ Where is Nolan now } ” 

“ Up behind the cave. There he goes. Nolan ! ” 

“Is that you, Dan ” 

“Yes, and here is Ralph.” 

“ Good enough. Is he safe an’ sound ” 

“Yes, I’m all right,” answered Ralph. “But 
the greaser cleaned me out of everything I had.” 

“ Robbed you } ” queried Dan. 

“That’s about the size of it. First he took my 
gun and my knife, and then he made me turn out 
all of my pockets.” 

“ Humph ! Did he get much ? ” 

“He got that old silver watch father let me 
wear, and five dollars I was going to let Ollie 
have for those prize chickens of his. I don’t care 
so much for the money, but I hate to lose the 
watch — father carried it in the War of 1812, if 
you remember.” 

Nolan now came up and listened to Ralph’s 
tale, and then he and Dan told how they had come 


THE MESQUITE BE A HE 


65 


up and caught sight of the horses. They had met 
Juan the Giant at the mouth of the cave, and a 
hand-to-hand struggle had ensued, and Nolan had 
been cut in the shoulder with the Mexican’s hunt- 
ing-knife. Then Badillo had managed to get on 
one of the horses, and had made his escape in spite 
of all their efforts to lay him low. 

I think I’m after hittin’ him in the arm,” said 
Nolan, “but I am not certain.” 

After they were satisfied that the man had 
escaped them and that further pursuit would be 
useless, torches were lit and they went into the 
cave. Here were found Ralph’s gun and hunting- 
knife, but the other articles were gone. 

Dan listened to the story of the mountain wolf 
with interest. “ You’re lucky to escape so easily,” 
he said. “ Remember the fate of Si Kenwith.” 
The man he mentioned had been a settler not 
many miles to the north. One night he had 
heard a noise under his cabin floor, and, going out, 
had been attacked by a mountain wolf and killed 
before his wife or son could come to his assistance. 
Such was one of the many perils of the pioneers 
of this section of our country. The killing of 
Silas Kenwith caused the settlers for miles around 
to organise what was called a grand hunt, and 
during this hunt, which lasted nearly a month, 
thousands of wild animals, including over two 
hundred wolves, were slain. 


66 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

It was nearly morning when the party returned 
to where Jack Snaplot had been left. They found 
the horse thief in a doze, the result of his loss of 
blood. The horses were still there, and soon they 
had the wounded man on horseback and were 
making their way to where Oliver had been left 
to care for Bill Myers. 

Oliver was waiting anxiously for them, and gave 
a long sigh of relief when they appeared. “ I was 
afraid something had happened to you,” he said. 

‘‘Well, something did happen,” replied Ralph. 

“ I see you’ve got another of them.” 

“ Yes,” said Nolan. “ How is Myers 1 ” 

“All right. He’s not hurt so very much, and 
he tried his best to bribe me to let him go.” 

“ Did, eh .? ” roared the old pioneer. “ Sure, 
lad, you should have broken his head for that.” 

“I told him such talk was useless,” answered 
Oliver. 

“ I’ll bet that made him mad, Ollie,” ventured 
Dan. 

“ It did, and he swore like a pirate, but I made 
him shut up by threatening him with the pistol. 
He hasn’t said a word since.” 

They went into the dilapidated cabin, and Nolan 
held a talk with Bill Myers. The horse thief was 
a very rough fellow, worse even than Snaplot, and 
the talk ended without satisfaction upon either 
side. 


THE MESQUITE BRAKE 


67 


“You had better let me go,” growled Myers. 
“ If you don’t, remember the whole gang will be 
down on you for it.” 

“ Sure, an’ I’ll be after risking the gang,” re- 
turned Nolan. “You have got to go to the 
Gonzales lock-up, an’ that’s all there is to it.” 

Myers thought at first that he was the only one 
who had been captured, and he felt better when 
Snaplot was brought in. The two wanted to talk, 
but neither Nolan nor the Radburys would allow 
this. 

“You’ll only plot to escape,” said Dan. “You 
can do your powwowing when you are in jail.” 

“ Humph ! think you are big to catch us, I 
reckon,” sneered Snaplot. 

“ It was certainly a good job done.” 

“ Maybe ; but you fellows haven’t seen the end 
of this — not by a jugful.” 

“We’ll risk the end — after you are behind 
the bars,” said Ralph, and Oliver said practically 
the same. 

The horse thieves wished to delay their transfer 
to the Gonzales jail, and so pretended to be too 
much hurt to be removed. But Nolan and the 
others made an examination and bound up the 
wounds afresh, and then made them mount, and 
long before noon they were on their way to the 
Fielding homestead. 

Less than half of the way was covered when 


68 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

they met Mr. Fielding, who had been out in the 
woods the greater part of the night hunting for 
them. 

“ I was afraid Ollie would get into trouble,” he 
said. ‘‘You see he isn’t used to anything like 
this.” 

“I’m all right,” said the son. “And I’ve got 
to get used to it some day.” 

The return to the Fielding homestead wa? made 
without further incident, and here they left the 
horses which had been stolen, all of course except 
the one Juan the Giant had taken. 

“ One isn’t so bad,” said Maurice Fielding. 
“But I couldn’t have stood the loss of the half 
dozen.” 

After some talk it was decided that Nolan, 
Maurice Fielding, and Dan should ride to Gonzales 
with the prisoners, while Oliver was to remain at 
home with his mother and sister. Ralph was to 
go on with the others, but was to drop off at his 
own home. 


CHAPTER VIII. 


THE TROUBLE BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND 
MEXICO 

While the party is journeying forward with its 
prisoners, let us look for a moment at the situa- 
tion between the United States and Mexico, and 
try to learn what really caused the war which was 
now so close at hand. 

Readers of the first volume of this series already 
know how it came to pass that Texas left the 
Mexican Confederation and declared for freedom, 
and how dashing General Sam Houston made that 
freedom a real thing at the wonderful battle of 
San Jacinto. This had occurred about ten years 
before, in 1836, and one year later the United 
States acknowledged the independence of the 
Lone Star State, as it was called, because of its 
seal, which is a star set in a circle with a wreath. 

Texas remained independent for ten years, and 
then applied for admission into the United States, 
then at peace with the world. This admission 
was bitterly opposed both from without and within. 
The opposition from within came from those who 
69 


70 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

held that the admissict. 'or this State meant only 
the extension of slavery, and they held that Texas 
would soon be divided into half a dozen slave 
States in consequence; the opposition from with- 
out came mainly from Mexico, which was con- 
sidered a friendly republic, the Mexicans holding 
that for the United States to take up the cause 
of Texas would be a blow at her which she did 
not deserve. . 

In addition ' ^se there were other causes at 
work, which ere finally pushed forward as the 
real causes oi the war. A number of outrages had 
been comm-'ted by irresponsible Mexicans upon 
American c izens, and upon American ships sail- 
ing in th: Gulf of Mexico and upon Mexican 
rivers, and it was claimed by the government at 
Washington that the Mexican government would 
make little or no redress. There was a loud and 
constantly increasing clamour for justice, which 
swiftly kindled into the spirit of war, and, right 
or wrong, war presently came, with all of its awful 
results. 

Ever since Texas had established her independ- 
ence there had been a dispute regarding the 
southern boundary-line. Mexico contended that 
the Nueces River must be the boundary, Texas 
held out for the Rio Grande, about a hundred and 
twenty-five miles farther south. When Texas 
became a part of our union this dispute was trans- 


THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO J\ * 

f erred to the United Sta^-es, and at once Mexico 
took steps to guard her borders, as she expressed 
it, by massing an army at Matamoras to repel the 
northern invaders. 

This massing of an army, either for offence or 
defence, was looked on with suspicion by the 
United States, and in the summer of 1845, Gen- 
eral Zachary Taylor, who was then in command 
of our army at New Orleans, the headquarters of 
what was termed the First Military Department, 
was ordered to Texas, to Corpus ^Uhristi, on the 
lower side of the Nueces River, — id what Mexico 
stoutly maintained was her teridtofiy. General 
Taylor sailed from New Orleans ori-'the 23d of 
July, with two steamboats and three ether vessels, 
bound for Aransas Bay. On the third of the 
following month his whole army, then called the 
Army of Occupation, landed on St. Joseph Island, 
in Corpus Christi Bay. 

But few of the settlers in the interior of Texas 
knew of the movement of the United States army, 
for methods of communication were still decidedly 
primitive. The first to bring the news to the 
Radbury ranch was Mr. Radbury, who came in 
shortly after Ralph’s arrival, and just after Nolan 
and Dan had gone on to Gonzales with the cap- 
tured horse thieves. 

‘‘War is almost a certainty now,” he said, after 
listening to what his younger son had to tell. 


*^72 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

“Austin is full of excitement, and men are parad- 
ing the streets in vast crowds. President Jones 
means business, I reckon.” He referred to the 
President of Texas. 

“Has General Taylor gone to St. Joseph’s 
Island with many troops ? ” questioned Ralph. 

“ No, not so many, only eight companies, so far, 
I was told. But other troops are on the way, and 
I was told that Secretary Marcy has authorised 
the general to call for volunteers from Louisiana, 
Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Kentucky.” 

“Won’t Texas furnish any troops.-^” went on 
the youth, anxiously. 

At this his father looked at him sharply. 

“ Do you wish to volunteer, Ralph ” he ques- 
tioned. 

“ I will if I am wanted.” 

“I thought you saw enough of fighting ten 
years ago, when you were but a little chap.” 

“ Why, I didn’t see anything to speak of, 
father; that all fell to you and to Dan.” 

“Well, I venture to say that Texas will furnish 
all the troops required of her. If war comes I 
think it will be far more of an outbreak than 
was the contest between Texas and Mexico.” 

“I don’t see why Mexico can’t leave us alone 
and let us do as we please.” 

“ She is jealous of the United States, and 
doesn’t want to see the Union keep on growing. 


THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO 73 

Besides, we Texans have never been forgiven for 
fighting for our liberty.” 

“ Do you think there will be a battle soon ? ” 

“There is no telling, Ralph. The politicians 
say they will do all in their power to avert war, 
and some commissioners are to be sent to Mexico 
on a mission of peace, but that may amount to 
but little. Somehow, I feel it in my bones that 
war is bound to come, sooner or later.” 

“ Well, if war does come, Mexico will get the 
worst of it.” 

“ I think so myself, unless some foreign power 
steps in to help her.” 

“ Will any foreign power do that ? ” 

“That remains to be seen, my boy. When 
war begins there is generally no knowing where it 
will end.” 

“ Well, if it comes, Tm going to the front, father.” 

“Then you do long to be a soldier 

“ It isn’t exactly that ; I want to see Texas a 
part of the United States, and I want to see the 
Mexicans whipped. Why, to think of the massa- 
cre at Goliad and the fall of the Alamo still makes 
my blood run cold. By the way, what has become 
of the Mexican general, Santa Anna ? Is he still 
living in obscurity ? ” 

“ I don’t know, but I shouldn’t be surprised to 
see him once more at the head of their army, if 
this war comes off. He is the sort of fellow the 


74 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 


average Mexican can’t resist, in spite of his bluster 
and his failures.” 

In the meantime Dan, with George Nolan and 
the horse thieves, had reached Gonzales, to find the 
town in high excitement. Men were parading 
the streets, and volunteers were being called for 
to join in the coming war against Mexico. Such 
was the clamour that but little attention was paid 
to the prisoners, who might, on another occasion, 
have been captured by a mob and strung up, for 
horse stealing in those days was considered next 
to a capital crime. The thieves were placed in 
the jail, and the jailer said he would see to it that 
they got no chance to escape. 

For several years Dan had belonged to a local 
body of military men known as Rigley’s Rangers, 
because they were commanded by an old Indian 
scout named Jason Rigley. Their headquarters 
were at a local livery-stable, and to this place Dan 
now made his way, where he found a crowd of 
men, young and old, assembled, eagerly discussing 
all the news from Austin, the State capital, from 
Washington, and from the banks of the Nueces 
River. As yet Texas had never occupied the 
land between the Nueces and the Rio Grande, 
although laying claim to it. 

“ It’s gwine ter be wah this time an’ no mis- 
take,” cried one of the Rangers, a settler from the 
Missouri fiats. “An’ at the end on it Mexico 


THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO 75 

will find she has got to the end o’ her string, 
heah me ! ” And he shook his head as if that 
statement ended all dispute. 

“ Will you go, Bassett t ” questioned Dan. 

‘‘To be suah, Radbury, to be suah ! Ev’ry 
honourable gen’ man o’ the honourable South will 

go-” 

“ You’ll go, won’t you, Radbury } ” questioned 
another of the Rangers. 

“ If our company is called out, yes.” 

“ Well, you can lay low for the call at any time 
now. Old Rough and Ready wouldn’t be sent 
down to Corpus Christ! unless something impor- 
tant was in the wind.” 

“ The greasers have got to take a back seat in 
this part of the world,” put in another Ranger, 
who rejoiced in the nickname of Parson Beans, 
because he loved both to talk and to eat beans. 
“We are a superior race, and they must bow to 
the inevitable. If they will not, off will go their 
heads, and the Mexican Confederation will be at 
an end. The glorious future of Texas, and the 
equally glorious future of the United States, 
cannot be halted by the foul designs of those 
who would put their hands to our throats and 
crush us ! ” 

“ Hurrah for Parson Beans ! ” came from the 
rear. “ Thar’s undiluted eloquence fer you ! 
Give us some more. Parson ! ” 


76 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

“We are a Heaven-favoured people,” went on 
the talkative Ranger. “ Our destiny is manifest. 
Onward the march of progress takes its way. 
The Mexicans must clear the track, or be trodden 
under foot like — er — like — ” 

“ Like snakes before the flying buffalo,” sug- 
gested somebody standing near. 

“Exactly, like snakes before the flying buffalo, 
the mighty monarch of our noble plains. They 
say we are doing this to extend slavery, but — ” 

“What if we are slavery is all right,” came 
from a corner of the headquarters. “The man 
who says it ain’t has got to fight me.” 

“ I was going to remark, my friend, that — er 
— that slavery has nothing to do with the matter. 
It is a question as to whether Texas and the 
United States shall do as they please, or whether 
Mexico shall — er — shall dictate as to what’s to 
be done.” 

At this sentiment there was a loud burst of 
applause, in the midst of which the Parson was 
carried off for some “liquid refreshments.” Half 
the crowd went along, leaving Dan alone in one 
part of the headquarters with Nolan. 

“ Some of the boys are red-hot, no doubt of 
that,” remarked the old pioneer, as he gazed 
after the departing ones. “ They would fight 
to-morrow if they were after gettin’ the chance.” 

“War will mean another upsetting in Texas,” 


THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO 77 

returned Dan. “ For this State will be the 
battle-ground, I suppose.” 

“ Unless we’re after carrying the war into the 
enemy’s country, as it is called.” 

“You mean the United States army will march 
into Mexico ? ’ ’ 

“ Why not, if war is really declared ? I would 
rather see the fighting there than here,” con- 
tinued George Nolan. 

“ Oh, so would I,” answered Dan ; and there 
the conversation ended, for the time being. 

Several days later Snaplot and Myers were tried 
and sentenced to several years’ imprisonment each. 
After this a long hunt was made for the Mexican, 
Juan the Giant, but without success. 

“ Reckon he’s cleared out for Mexico,” said 
Dan. “I suppose I’ll never see him again.” 
But in this Dan was mistaken. He was to meet 
Juan Badillo again, and under most surprising 
circumstances. 


CHAPTER IX. 


HUNTING FOR DEER 

The summer and winter months passed rapidly 
upon the Radbury ranch. There was work 
enough for all hands to do, and when Ralph was 
not extra busy he would go over and give Oliver 
and his father ^<a hand,” as he termed it, for which 
the Fieldings were very grateful. 

During the winter the Radburys heard once of 
Juan the Giant. He had been seen at Saltillo, and 
while there and half under the influence of liquor 
had made his threat, that sooner or later he was 
going to get even with those who had interfered 
with his taking off of the Fielding horses. 

“ He is a thoroughly bad egg,” was Mr. Rad' 
bury’s comment when he heard of this. “ If you 
ever meet him, beware, or he’ll stab you in the 
back. A Mexican with Indian blood in him is not 
the man to cross.” 

During the winter old Poke Stover, the fron- 
tiersman, came to the Radbury place, and every- 
body was glad to see him. 

Mighty sorry I wasn’t here when you had 
78 


HUNTING FOR DEER 


79 


the trouble with them boss thieves,” he said. 
“ Wouldn’t have liked no better sport nor to have 
run ’em down.” 

“I wish you had been along,” answered Dan. 
‘<I don’t believe Juan the Giant could have given 
you the slip.” 

“Your father is right about that varmin, Dan; 
he’s a bad egg an’ no takin’ it back. If ye ever 
set eyes on him, shoot fust an’ think afterward — 
an’ ye won’t be doin’ no wrong, mark my words.” 

Poke had been over to Austin, and he came with 
the news that war was now more certain than ever. 
“ Them greasers won’t listen to no reason, an’ the 
United States commissioner can’t do nuthin’ with 
’em,” he said. “ I reckon as how Old Rough an’ 
Ready will have to fight ’em to bring ’em to their 
senses.” 

During the holidays Poke took both Ralph and 
Dan out hunting several times, and once Oliver 
went along. On the latter trip there was a light 
fall of snow on the ground, and Poke calculated 
that it was excellent weather to track some deer 
which had been seen in the vicinity. 

“There’s a silver deer in the crowd,” said the 
frontiersman. “ If we can knock him over it will 
be sumthin’ wuth while.” 

“Yes, indeed,” answered Dan. “I have always 
wanted to get a silver deer, but have never had the 
chance.” 


80 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

The party of four started away from the Field- 
ing ranch on foot, Stover, Dan, and Ralph having 
come that far on horseback. Each carried a gun 
and a pistol, as well as a game-bag, containing a 
day’s rations. They left at noon, and did not 
expect to get back until evening of the next day. 

From the Fielding ranch they struck almost 
due north until they came to the first section of 
what was termed the Cross Timbers, and from 
here they went westward. 

The air was clear and cold and each member of 
the party was in high spirits, anticipating no end 
of sport. As they hurried along they saw many 
birds, including wild turkey, pheasants, and a few 
quail, and Oliver wanted to bring some of them 
down, but Poke demurred. 

“We don’t want ’em for food just yet,” said the 
frontiersman. “And it won’t do to lug ’em along 
till night. Wait for sech small game till we are 
homeward bound,” and Oliver did wait, although 
anxious to “pull a trigger on something,” as he 
declared. 

The woods were full of small animals, jack- 
rabbits and the like, and occasionally they saw a 
fox at a distance, and once they saw tracks which 
looked, to Stover, like those of a black bear. 
“Might follow him up,” he suggested, but the 
younger members of the crowd voted to keep on 
until something was seen of the deer. 









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HUNTING FOR DEER 


8l 


By three o’clock in the afternoon the old fron- 
tiersman calculated that they had covered fifteen 
miles. They were now on a range of hills over- 
looking Evergreen Valley, with its numerous cedars 
and evergreen brush. Before them stretched a 
hollow a mile wide by several miles long, while 
behind them were the hills in which were located 
the caves which have already figured in this tale. 

Poke Stover was in advance, and, peering over 
some rocks in front of the crowd, he suddenly 
motioned the others back. 

“ The deer is thar ! ” he said, in a low voice. 

Be careful how ye look at ’em ! ” 

They were careful, and, peering forth, saw a 
herd of six deer near the other side of the hollow. 
Five were in a bunch, the sixth was somewhat 
apart from the others, and this was — a silver 
white ! 

The silver deer ! ” murmured Dan, and his 
eyes sparkled. “ I wonder if I can bring him 
down frorn here.” 

‘‘ Better not try it, Dan,” replied Stover. 

We’d do better to work our way around to the 
southward — the wind is settin’ the other way. 
Come ! ” 

Poke Stover led the way with caution, and the 
others followed, being careful to keep out of sight 
of the game and to make as little noise as possible. 
Oliver’s heart beat rapidly, for this was his first 


82 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

regular deer hunt, but Ralph and Dan were almost 
as cool as Poke Stover himself. 

So far the sun had been shining brightly, mak- 
ing the snow of dazzling whiteness, but now the 
orb of day was hidden by a mass of clouds, and it 
grew somewhat darker in consequence, while the 
wind began to blow stronger. 

Goin’ to have another storm,” grumbled Stover, 
after an examination of the heavens. 

^'Let us try to get those deer before it com-es,” 
said Ralph. “We may not get another such 
chance.” 

On they went with increased speed until they 
gained what Stover thought was a fairly favourable 
position. 

“ Ralph, you had better stay here, with Ollie,” 
said the old frontiersman. “ Dan, supposing you 
take to yonder fallen tree } Then I can go into 
yonder timber.” 

These suggestions were satisfactory all around, 
and then it was settled that Dan should try for 
the silver deer, while Ralph and Oliver should try 
for two others which were pointed out. Stover " 
would reserve his fire until he saw how matters 
stood after the opening shots. 

In a few minutes more they were all ready, Dan 
kneeling behind the fallen tree that he might get 
a better aim. Ralph and Oliver were behind 
some rocks. 


HUNTING FOR DEER 


83 


Bang ! It was the report of Dan’s gun, and it 
was immediately followed by the cracking of the 
firearms in the hands of Ralph and Oliver. 

As the reports died away the silver deer was 
seen, to leap up into the air. As he came down, 
he started to run, then staggered from side to side 
and fell headlong. 

“ Hurrah ! I’ve got him ! ” shouted Dan, en- 
thusiastically. 

One of the other deer had also fallen, that shot 
by Ralph, although he was far from dead, having 
had his foreleg shattered. The third deer was 
also wounded, but was yet able to run after the 
other deer, who at the first shot were off like the 
wind. 

It was now that Stover’s gun spoke up, and one 
of the flying beasts came down like a lump of lead, 
shot through the heart. Then the old fro itk- s- 
man let drive with his pistol, finishing the i nimal 
Oliver had wounded. In the meantime the others 
turned in to end the sufferings of Ralph’s prize. 

In less than ten minutes it was all over, and the 
four deer lay scattered in the snow, the silver deer 
in the centre of the number. The party came 
closer and inspected their prizes with undisguised 
admiration. 

That’s a hunt wuth cornin’ for,” was Poke’s 
comment. “ Four at a lick ! No party could do 
better’n that.” 


84 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

“ I wouldn’t have got mine if it hadn’t been for 
that shot of yours,” ventured Oliver, a bit 
crestfallen. 

Never mind, lad, ye struck him fust, an’ that’s 
something. Why, ye did well not to get the buck 
fever when ye was ready to fire. I’ve knowed 
some tenderfeet couldn’t do a thing when it come 
to the p’int.” 

“That’s the way it was with me,” said Dan, 
with a laugh, which he could now well afford. 
“ The first deer I aimed at, my heart went into my 
throat and I shook as if I had a chill.” 

The silver deer was voted a great beauty, as 
indeed it was, with its soft coat of glistening 
white, and Stover said Dan must take care not to 
injure the pelt. 

“ It’s beginning to snow ! ” exclaimed Oliver, as 
a flake fell upon his hand. 

“ Where shall we camp } ” questioned Ralph. 

“ I was going to suggest yonder timber,” an- 
swered the old frontiersman. “ But if this gets 
bad — ” He finished with a shake of his head. 

“Why, you don’t suppose we’d be snowed in,- 
do you ? ” questioned Dan. 

“No, not exactly, but thet wind — Jest listen, 
boys ! ” 

They did listen, and from a great distance heard 
the wind rising in the Cross Timbers with a dull 
humming sound. Ralph looked at his brother and 


HUNTING FOR DEER 85 

turned slightly pale. Oliver did not seem to 
understand. 

What is it } ” he asked. 

“It means that we may have a blizzard,” an- 
swered Dan. “You have never experienced one, 
have you } ” 

“ No.” 

“Well, you don’t want to — not while you are 
out in a place like this.” 

“ Do you think there will be much snow } ” 

“ No, but the wind will make up for it, Ollie. 
Many a man has lost his life in a Texan norther. 
Poke, what shall we do ? ” 

“ Reckon we had best make fer the fust o’ them 
caves,” replied the frontiersman. 

“ And what of the deer ? ” asked Ralph. “ Go- 
ing to leave them behind ? ” f ^ 

“ We can’t take ’em all along. Let us take the 
silver fellow. We can come back for th*‘ others 
when the blizzard is over.” ^ 

So it was arranged and then the body of the 
deer was placed on some cedar boughs, to which a 
rope was attached. This done, all set to work to 
draw the improvised drag out of the hollow and up 
to the cave which had been mentioned. 


CHAPTER X. 


CAUGHT IN A TEXAN BLIZZARD 

Poke Stover had spent enough of his life in 
the open to know just what sort of a storm was 
coming upon the party, and he urged the others 
along all he could. 

When it lands it will land on all four feet,” was 
the way he expressed himself. “ We’ll do well to 
git into thet cave afore thet time, hear me ! ” 

Soon the clouds were thick over the sun, and it 
^'ccame unusually dark for that time of day. The 
wind kept rising steadily until it fairly whistled 
through the Cross Timbers and the cedar brake 
below. The snow came down like so much fine 
sand, which struck them pitilessly as they advanced 
out of the hollow. 

“ Here she comes ! ” shouted Stover, of a sudden. 
“ Come, boys, follow me ! ” 

“But the deer — ” began Dan. He could not 
bear to think of leaving his precious prize behind. 

“ We’ll have to come back later for it,” answered 
Poke. “ Come, don’t wait .! It may cost you your 
life ! ” 


86 


CAUGHT IN A TEXAN BLIZZARD 8 / 

His words were so earnest that Dan waited no 
longer, but sprang forward with all speed. Ralph 
and Oliver were also running with might and main. 
Soon they gained the top of the hollow. The 
entrance to the cave was two hundred yards 
farther on. 

And now the dreadful blizzard was fairly on top 
of them. With a shriek like that of some demon, 
it hurled itself through the Cross Timbers, cutting 
down trees and brush as if with a sharp sword. 
Then it swooped down into the hollow, and the 
cedars went flying in all directions. The swirling 
snow, mingled with rain, was blinding, and for the 
instant Ralph felt as if he was enveloped in a 
cloud of finely chopped ice. He could see abso- 
lutely nothing. 

Come ! Don’t stop ! ” The cry crme from 
Stover, and he caught Ralph by the hand. Olivti 
was ahead and Dan behind. By instinct the four 
kept in a bunch. 

“ I can’t — I can’t — go — any farthci i ” The 
gasped words came from Oliver. He was ready 
to drop from exhaustion. 

“Don’t give up — the cave is close to hand,” 
shouted Poke, encouragingly, and as the wind 
abated for a few seconds, the youth struggled 
forward once more. 

At last, just as the blizzard took a fresh start, 
they gained the entrance to the cave. Here Oliver 


88 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

dropped on the ground panting like a dog of the 
chase. Poke Stover picked him up and hurried 
behind the shelter of the rocks with him ; and in a 
moment more all were safe within the cave, which 
was as black as night. 

For several minutes nobody spoke. Each sat 
on the stony floor trying to regain his breath. At 
last Dan spoke. 

** My stars, but this is awful ! ” he burst out. 
I never dreamed of anything like it ! ” 

“ It’s a heavy one,” answered Poke Stover. 
“ Puts me in mind o’ one I got into eight years 
ago. That knocked cattle right an’ left.” 

Outside the wind was humming like a top, and 
ever and anon they could hear the crashing down 
of some mighty monarch of the forest. Even the 
cave was windy, and the snow and rain whirled in 
:i them at a distance of a hundred feet from the 
entrance. All was pitch-dark until Stover lit a 
torch. 

I’m afraid my silver deer will be blown to king- 
dom come,” said Dan, sadly. Or else the foxes 
will carry it off.” 

“The foxes are trying to save their lives jest 
about now,” returned Poke. “We can go after 
the deer jest as soon as the norther is over.” 

“And how long do you suppose it will last ” 
questioned Oliver. 

“No telling that, lad ; perhaps an hour, perhaps 


CAUGHT IN A TEXAN BLIZZARD 89 

all night. We can be thankful we are under shelter 
and have a bite to eat in our game-bags.” 

Do you think this will strike our ranch ? ” went 
on Oliver. 

“There ain’t no tellin’. If it does it will cer-' 
tainly do some damage.” 

As soon as they had recovered somewhat from 
their scare and hard run, Ralph announced that 
he was getting hungry. Among their rations 
was some coffee and sugar, and Poke Stover had 
brought along a kettle and a coffee-pot. It was 
decided to make some hot coffee, for everybody 
felt chilled. 

“If we only had the deer,” said Dan, sadly. 

“ We might have a first-class roast.” 

It was an easy matter to pick up some firewood 
close to the entrance of the cave, for broken 'tfee 
branches lay in all directions. Soon they had^U 
roaring fire built in the rear of the cave, whbfe 
a split in the rocks overhead allowed the smoke to 
drift off to parts unknown. 

They were just making the coffee when there 
came a strange clatter of hoofs on the rocks out- 
side of the cave, and Poke Stover had barely time 
in which to catch up his gun when a deer appeared 
at the opening in front of them. 

The animal was all but exhausted, and had come 
to the cave for shelter from the storm. Whether 
it belonged to the herd they had shot into or not 


90 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

they could not tell, but the old frontiersman lost 
no time in blazing away at the game, and it fell 
almost at their feet. 

“A deer!” cried Oliver. “Now we can have 
roast venison, after all ! ” 

“Yes, and it won’t go bad,” answered Poke, 
grimly. 

“ I reckon the storm drove the deer here,” 
remarked Dan. “ I wonder if more are com- 
ing.” 

He took up his gun, and while the others set to 
work to skin the game he went on guard. But 
nothing came but a fox, and he ran off again be- 
fore Dan could get a chance to fire, even if he had 
wished to, which was doubtful. 

Soon the smell of roasting deer meat and boiling 
coffee spread an appetising odour through the cave, 
and the fire warming them up, all felt quite com- 
fortable. Outside, the first flurries of snow had 
given way to hail and rain, which swept past in 
blinding sheets. It was, indeed, a typical Texan 
blizzard and one not easily forgotten. 

When the meat was done, they carved it up as 
best they could with their hunting-knives and fell 
to with avidity. Besides the venison they had 
crackers and cheese, along with a little jerked 
meat, and the coffee, of which Poke Stover drank 
several large cups. As they ate they discussed 
the situation. 


CAUGHT IN A TEXAN BLIZZARD 91 

‘‘We might as well remain right whar we are 
until morning,” said the frontiersman. “We 
couldn’t do much afore daylight, anyway.” 

“ But I don’t want to lose that silver deer,” 
answered Dan. “ If it clears off during the night 
I’m going out for it.” 

“ Well, if ye do, don’t ye go alone,” was Poke’s 
advice. 

During the two hours following the meal they 
sat around the fire talking and listening to a 
story Stover had to tell, and also speculating on 
the turn of affairs between the United States 
and Mexico. When it came time to turn in, it 
was decided that each should go on guard for two 
hours. 

“ I’ll take the first watch,” said the frontiers- 
man. “ Dan can take the second, Ralph the third, 
and Oliver the fourth,” and this was satisfactof}^ 
to all concerned. 

When it came time for Dan to go on guard, he 
noted with delight that the snow had given way to 
a gentle rain, and that the wind was going down 
and it was growing slightly warmer. “ I’ll get my 
deer before I turn in,” he said to himself. 

At the end of the two hours, he called his 
brother and said he was going out for the deer. 
“ If you want, you can go along,” he added. 

“ All right, I will,” answered Ralph, readily, for 
he was almost as much interested in the silver deer 


92 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

as Dan himself. But what of the others ? Shall 
we call them or let them sleep ? ” 

“I don’t believe there is any danger, Ralph, and 
they look so tired. Let them sleep.” 

Soon they were on the way, over the wet 
ground, which in certain spots had a crust of 
ice covering it. When they gained the edge of 
the hollow they found the deer had disappeared. 

‘‘Gone!” burst from Dan’s lips, and his tone 
was very bitter. “I knew it I ” 

“ Perhaps the wind shifted it,” suggested Ralph. 
“ Let us take a look around.” 

It was still dark, and they could see but 
little beyond a distance of ten or twenty feet. 
Dan moved off in one direction and Ralph in 
another. 

Presently Ralph saw something dark lying just 
beyond the edge of the hollow, partly under a 
smooth rock. He stepped down on the wet rocks 
to investigate. It was no easy thing to do, and he 
tried to hold fast to the rocks above. 

In a twinkle his feet slipped from under him 
and his grasp on the rocks loosened. Down he 
shot over the rocks into the hollow. He let out 
a yell of alarm and tried to stop himself, but 
could not, and went on and on, like a boy on a 
toboggan on a well-packed hillside. The bottom 
of the hollow was fully two hundred feet away, 
and he did not stop until the last of the descent 


CAUGHT IN A TEXAN BLIZZARD 


93 

was passed. Then he brought up in a puddle of 
snow and water. 

“ Hi ! Ralph ! What’s the matter } ” The cry 
came from Dan, who now came rushing over to 
where he had last seen his brother. 

‘‘ I’m down in the hollow ! ” roared the younger 
Radbury, when he felt able to speak. 

“ In the hollow } ” 

Yes. I slipped and lost my grip. Take care, 
or you’ll slip, too.” 

“ Can you climb back V 

“ I don’t know yet. I’ll try it.” 

Did you hurt yourself } ” 

Not to speak of, but I’m soaked through.” 

Then you had better hurry back, or you’ll take 
cold,” returned Dan. 

But hurrying back was no easy task, arjd the 
more Ralph tried to climb out of the hollow'the 
more impossible did the task seem to l ecome. 
Soon he was chattering with the cold, and his 
hands and feet began to grow numb. 

Dan wanted to help him, but could think of 
nothing to do in the darkness and so ran back into 
the cave to arouse Poke Stover. 

‘‘ Told ye to be careful,” said the frontiersman 
when informed of the trouble. It’s a blessing 
he didn’t break his neck.” 

Running to the fire, he caught up two of the 
blazing embers to use as torches, and followed Dan 


94 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

to the point where Ralph had begun his disastrous 
slide. 

Ralph ! ” he called. “ Ralph ! ” 

To this cry there was no answer. At once Dan 
became more alarmed than ever. 

“Ralph!” he yelled. “Ralph, why don’t you 
answer ? Ralph ! ” 

But still no answer came back. Poke Stover 
shook his head dubiously. 

“ Must be overcome by the cold and wet,” he 
said. “ An’ if so we can’t git him up and to the 
fire none too quick I ” 


CHAPTER XL 


THE RETURN TO THE RANCH 

If Ralph is overcome Pm going down to him,” 
came from Dan, after a pause. 

'‘All right, ye can, Dan, but don’t go just yet. 
See, I’ve got my lariat with me — allers do like to 
carry it somehow. You tie one end around yer 
wrist.” 

“That won’t reach to the bottom, I am 
afraid.” 

“ I know it, but it will reach part o’ the distance 
and save ye a nasty tumble, maybe. When ye git 
as far as the lariat will reach ye can go the rest o’ 
the distance alone.” 

In a twinkle Dan had the lariat adjusted, and 
then Poke Stover let him down over the edge of 
the hollow. Soon he was sliding without much 
danger. The end of the cord gained, he freed him- 
self and slid the balance of the way on hands and 
knees, stopping himself just before the slush and 
water was reached. 

“ Ralph ! ” he called again, and now a faint, 
chattering answer was returned. Peering in the 
95 


g6 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

darkness, he saw his brother clutching at the icy 
rocks, and ran to his side. 

Ralph was certainly all but overcome, and he 
could do little for himself. He had gotten some 
of the icy water down his back, and this gave him 
a chill pitiable to behold. 

Whizz ! down into the hollow came one of the 
torches Poke had brought along, spluttering and 
sizzing in the rain, and Dan caught it up and 
looked around in the light thus afforded. Some 
cedar brush was handy and he thrust the torch 
into its midst. At first it refused to burn, but 
presently the wind lent its aid and the brush be- 
came a bonfire which lighted up the surroundings 
for many yards. 

“ How are ye making out } ” came from Stover, 
after another pause. 

“ If the lariat was twice as long it might do us 
some good,” returned Dan. “ But as it is, I don’t see 
how I can climb back to it, and carry Ralph too.” 
Is he as bad as that ? ” 

Yes.” 

“Take him over to the fire.” 

Dan was already doing this. There was a flat 
rock beside the burning brush, and he placed his 
brother on this. Soon the warmth began to do 
Ralph good. 

“ Oh, Dan, what a fix to be in ! ” he $aid;, when 
he felt able to speak. 


THE RETURN TO THE RANCH 97 

“ It is a bad one,” returned his brother. “ But 
I reckon it might be worse.” 

I can never climb to the top of the hollow 
with that slippery ice on the rocks.” 

'‘We might walk around, if it wasn’t for the 
darkness.” 

“ I saw the silver deer. He lies beyond the 
pool of water.” 

“ I saw him too, Ralph. But I don’t care about 
that — just now.” 

By this time Stover was calling to them again. 
He had fastened the upper end of the lariat to a 
sapling growing on the edge of the hollow. Now 
he came down hand over hand until the lower end 
was gained. He had stuck a long torch in the 
band of his sombrero, and in the semi-darkness 
looked like a miner crawling around a coal pit. 

Reaching the end of the lariat, the old front 
man began to make an examination of the slip ’ 
surface below him, and then descended by a rou^i; 
about way to Dan’s side. 

“ I reckon we can make it,” he said. “ Leas’- 
wise we can try. Ralph, can you walk now ? ” 

“ I’ll see,” was the faint answer. The youth 
had crouched as close to the fire as he dared, and 
this had warmed him greatly. “ But I don’t want 
to remain in the cold too long.” 

“We won’t be out long,” answered Stover. 

He led the way, holding Ralph by one hand 


98 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

while Dan took the other. Soon they had to get 
down on their hands and knees. 

“ Hold tight to my jacket,” said Stover, and be- 
gan to dig into the icy ground with his hunting- 
knife. Dan took the hint and did the same, and 
thus the three at last reached the spot where 
hung the end of the lariat. 

Let Ralph go first,” said Dan. 

‘‘Yes, you go first,” added the frontiersman. 
“If ye tumble back we’ll do our best to catch ye.” 

Slowly Ralph ascended. Again he began to 
grow cold, and his fingers became so stiff he could 
scarcely feel the lariat in his grasp. But he set 
his teeth hard, went on, and finally the top was 
gained and he was safe. 

Dan followed and Poke Stover came close on 
his heels. Then without waiting to pick up the 
lariat all three hurried to the cave. They found 
Oliver had just awakened, and the youth was gaz- 
ing around him in bewilderment. 

“ Why, where have you all been }” he cried. 
“ What has happened ? ” 

“ I’ve had an adventure I didn’t bargain for,” 
answered Ralph, with chattering teeth. “Wait 
till I get warmed up and I’ll tell you of it.” 

Pie sank down by the blaze, and Dan and Stover 
lost no time in building up the fire afresh, until 
the back end of the cave was as warm as any one 
would wish. The old frontiersman likewise made 


THE RETURN TO THE RANCH 99 

some Steaming coffee, and of this all partook with 
a relish. 

** If I had remained down there much longer 
without a fire I would have frozen to death,” said 
Ralph, after telling Oliver his story. *‘The chill 
seemed to go through me like a knife.” 

“ I hope you don’t get pneumonia from it,” 
returned Oliver. 

“ Oh, I reckon I’ll be all right now, Ollie, but I 
don’t want another such adventure.” 

It was almost time for Oliver to go on guard, 
and this he did, leaving the others to sleep. Ralph 
curled up close to the friendly blaze, and his 
clothing drying on his body did him much good, 
so that at daybreak he declared himself as well as 
ever. 

The blizzard was almost over and the sun 
struggling to come through the clouds. They 
had a late breakfast, and then Stover went 01 :t to 
take a look at the surroundings. He repoM- ' it 
growing warmer, but declared they had best remain 
where they were for that day. 

“ Might be sech a thing as the blizzard’s coming 
back,” he explained. “ And if it does we don’t 
want to get caught midway between the cave and 
hum,” and to this the others agreed. 

Late in the afternoon, when a steady thaw had 
set in, the frontiersman and Dan made a ddtour 
into the hollow and brought out the silver deer. 



LofC. 


100 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

which had suffered but little by its tumble in the 
blizzard. The game was dressed with care, the 
head and antlers being left on the pelt. 

“ I want to show father what a prize he is,” 
said Dan, with pardonable pride. 

He is a prize — no two ways on thet,” re- 
joined Stover. “ Why, Tve hunted a silver deer 
fer years an’ not got a smell o’ one.” 

But you’ might have had him, Poke,” said 
Dan, quickly.’ 

‘‘ Never mind, he’s yours, and you’re welcome 
to him, Dan,” said the old frontiersman, heartily. 
His ol'd friendship for Dan had never diminished. 

The night to follow passed without special inci- 
dent, excepting that several wolves came around, 
attracted by the deer meat which had been hung 
Uj^. Oliver was on guard at the time and gained 
a good bit of praise from Stover by bringing one 
of the beasts down with a single shot from a 
pistol. The other wolves lost no time in disap- 
pearing when the firearm rang out. 

“You’ll be a fust-rate hunter in time, Ollie,” 
said Poke. “ Many a man would have missed thet 
critter.” 

“ Pm afraid the wolves have done up our other 
deer,” remarked Ralph, and he was right. On 
the following morning they searched diligently for 
the remainder of the game brought down in the 
hollow, but not a trace of it could be found. 


THk RETURN TO THE RANCH 10 1 

The rain had now let up and the sun was shining 
brightly, so the journey homeward was by no 
means disagreeable, although, to be sure, the mud 
and slush lay deep in certain portions of the Cross 
Timbers. On the way they shot a pair of mag- 
nificent foxes, with long, bushy tails, and also a 
dozen or more wild turkeys and quails, and also 
two wild ducks. 

“I’d like to spend a month in the woods,” 
declared Oliver. “ I think it would be royal 
sport.” 

“You’d get tired of it after awhile,” answered 
Dan. “After the first excitement is oAr, there 
is lots of sameness to it. But I like to go out for 
a day or two now and then myself.” 

At the Fielding homestead they received a 
warm welcome. “ I was afraid you were lost in 
the blizzard ! ” cried Oliver’s mother. ‘i.it bfe^/ 
something terrible around here.” 

“ Did it do any damage ? ” asked the son. 

“Took part of the roof off the lov^cr caitle- 
shed,” said Maurice Fielding. “But we can easily 
fix that again.” 

Little Alice had been terribly frightened by the 
high wind. “ I thought we were all going up like 
in a balloon ! ” she declared. 

The Radburys and Poke Stover remained at the 
Fieldings only long enough to get a hot meal and 
then pushed on to the former’s home. Mr. Rad- 


102 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

bury saw them approaching from a distance and 
ran out to meet them. 

Save and sound ! Thank Heaven ! ” he ex- 
claimed. “ I was afraid you would never come 
back. How did you escape such an awful wind ” 

‘‘We got into a cave,” answered Dan, and then 
continued, “What do you think of this 

“ What ! the silver deer ! Who brought this 
down } ” 

“ I did — although the others might have shot 
it just as well.” 

“ That is a great haul truly. I always wanted 
a silver deer myself, but could never get one. 
Twice I saw one when I was out on the range, but 
each time I hadn’t my gun handy.” 

“Thet’s just it,” grinned Stover. “When the 
best game is in sight thar ain’t never no firearm 
ready for to knock it over with.” 

The damage done by the blizzard at the Rad- 
bury range was considerable. One cattle-shed 
had been blown down completely, and two cows 
had been killed by the flying wreckage. Amos 
Radbury and Pompey Shuck were busy taking 
care of the meat of the slain animals, and at this 
work all of the newly arrived ones helped. The 
cows which had escaped from the shed had been 
rounded up and placed in other sheds, and Mr. 
Radbury concluded to let the rebuilding of the 
demolished structure go until spring. 


CHAPTER XII. 


ON THE WAY TO THE MILITARY CAMP 

During the balance of the winter months the 
Radburys heard but little concerning the difficul- 
ties between the United States and Mexico. For 
a majority of the time the weather was disagree- 
able, and in consequence visits to Gonzales and 
other towns were few and far between. Poke 
Stover continued to stay at the ranch, and once 
Oliver came down to remain a few days, and this 
visit Ralph and Dan returned. 

In the meantime the United States and Mexico, 
while negotiating for peace on one hand, pre- 
pared for war on the other. In the peace negotia- 
tions, Mr. John Slidell was appointed minisi'^r 
plenipotentiary by our nation, and went to Mexico 
late in November. But when he presented him- 
self at the City of Mexico early in December his 
credentials were refused recognition. He tried 
his best to settle the difficulty, but the war-loving 
General Paredes, then President of the Mexican 
Republic, would not listen to him. 

In the meantime General Taylor established his 
103 


104 TAYLOR ON THE RIO G RANEE 

military depot on St. Joseph’s Island, and then, 
reinforced by other troops of the States, includ- 
ing a small detachment from Texas, pushed on to 
Corpus Christi, on the lower side of Nueces Bay. 
Here a good camping spot was found, and here 
the Army of Occupation passed rather a tedious 
winter. The number of men in the camp were 
between thirty-five hundred and four thousand, 
and some of these soldiers had travelled for 
months to get there, for railroads there were none 
and all of the travelling had to be done on foot. 
It may be mentioned here that one detachment, 
consisting of seven companies of the Second 
Dragoons, with about fifty wagons, marched all 
the way from Fort Jesup, crossing the Sabine 
River into Texas, and then marching due west 
over stretch after stretch of prairies, and either 
fording or were ferried over the Trinity, Buffalo 
Bayou, Brazos, Guadalupe, and other streams. 

At Corpus Christi were several soldiers from 
Texas who were friends of the Radburys, and 
they wrote letters early in February which those 
at the ranch read with interest. 

^ “ I would like to go to Corpus Christi camp and 

see how matters stand there,” said Dan, after 
reading one of the communications. 

“ Let us go together ! ” exclaimed Ralph. “ I 
would like the trip first-rate.” 

The matter hung fire for several days, and 


ON THE WAY TO THE MILITARY CAMP 105 

during that time Oliver came over, and he also 
expressed a wish to go. At first both Mr. Rad- 
bury and Mr. Fielding demurred, but in the end 
they were won over, and also Mrs. Fielding, and 
one clear day in late February the three set out, 
in company with Poke Stover. Little did any of 
them dream at the time of the stirring military 
service that was to fall to their lot ere they should 
see home again. 

All of the party were well mounted, and each 
carried a good gun and plenty of ammunition. 
The route to be taken was from Gonzales to 
Victoria, and then almost due south to Corpus 
Christi. This made a distance of about one hun- 
dred and thirty miles in a direct line, but owing to 
the nature of the country and the streams to be 
crossed. Poke calculated that they would have to 
cover at least a hundred and sixty miles, if not 
more. 

Both Mr. Radbury and Mr. Fielding saw them 
as far as Gonzales, and all remained in the t nvn 
for several hours to learn the latest news. Then 
without further waiting Dan and the others struck 
out southward, on the journey to Victoria. 

In those days this portion of Texas, now dotted 
with towns and villages, was but thinly settled, 
and the party of four had not gone many miles 
when they found themselves in a territory which 
was but little better than a wilderness. To the 


I06 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

younger members of the party the land was com- 
paratively strange, but not so to Poke Stover. 

I’ve hunted this here district over an’ over,” 
declared the old frontiersman. “I know every 
mile on it.” 

It is beautiful land,” was Oliver’s comment. 

It’s a wonder to me the settlers don’t come 
faster.” 

The reason air because there air so many 
beautiful spots,” answered Poke. “ It’s hard 
decidin’ where to go to stay.” 

“ That is true,” came from Dan. “ I know how 
it was when father came out in his prairie wagon. 
Time and again he stopped and thought to settle, 
and then he would push on, hoping to find some- 
thing still better.” 

But I like our home fully as well as this, if 
not better,” put in Ralph, quickly. “To me the 
lay of our land is just right.” 

“Right ye air, Ralph,” said Poke; “an’ thet’s 
what your father was a-lookin’ fer when he sot 
down to make his livin’. Your ranch is all right.” 

So talking they rode on, taking their time, for 
they were in no particular hurry to get to their 
journey’s end. On the way they roused up a 
number of wild birds, and Oliver, anxious to show 
how he had improved in shooting, brought down 
several of them, and these they cooked over their 
camp-fire when they rested at noon. 


OJ\r THE WAY TO THE MILITARY CAMP 10 / 

The country around them was certainly beauti- 
ful, and several times one or the other called a 
halt to inspect the outlook. On one side rolled 
the sparkling river, in a flood tide which overs wept 
the bank and made the water murmur in the 
bushes and reeds growing close by ; on the other 
were the rolling prairies, with the tall grass bend- 
ing one way and another, according to the gentle 
breeze that was blowing. Close to the river was 
a continuous stretch of trees and bushes, with the 
well-worn trail running in and out among them. 
Some of the trees were exceedingly large, and 
they had to pick their way carefully over the 
gnarled roots. Across the stream, in the dim 
distance was the blue haze of the mountains. 

Nightfall found them close to the ranch home 
of a settler named Cardell, and here they deter- 
mined to put up until morning. Poke knew the 
settler well, and quickly introduced the oihers. 
Mr. Cardell had once met Mr. Radbury, and told 
all of them to make themselves at home. 

Yes, I reckon we are in for a war,” he said, 
while he was helping them care for the horses. 

I heard only this morning that General Taylor 
may march against the greasers at any time 
now.” 

“ Is that so } ” cried Ralph. “ Well, I hope he 
doesn’t start before we get to Corpus Christi.” 

“ Want to go with him ? ” 


I08 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

“I would just as lief,” was the quick reply. 
“ But I don’t know as he’ll have me.” 

“You could join the Texan volunteers — good- 
ness knows there will be enough of ’em going.” 

“ I was thinking of that,” answered the younger 
Rad bury. 

“ Hang me ef I don’t go into the war myself if 
it really comes ! ” ejaculated Poke. “ I kin feel 
the-war fever a-b’ilin’ in me already ! ” and at this 
quaint way of putting it all the others had to 
laugh. 

That night several others stopped at the ranch, 
including two soldiers of the regular army, who 
had been off on a furlough. The soldiers had 
many stories to tell about their fighting with the 
Indians, and to these stories all listened with keen 
interest. 

“ Well, so long as our army is under the gen- 
eralship of Old Rough and Ready we’ll pull 
through all right,” said one of the soldiers. “ I 
fit with him in Florida, an’ I know. He’ll go 
through or bust, mark my words.” 

“The greasers are a treacherous lot,” said the 
other soldier. “ I wouldn’t trust one of ’em out 
of my sight, not for a minit. I’ve had lots of 
dealings with ’em, and they did their best to 
swindle me every trip ! ” 

“If they go to war they will be badly beaten, 
no doubt of that,” remarked Henry Cardell. 


ON THE WAY TO THE MILITARY CAMP IO9 

‘‘But if war comes, I sincerely trust it does not 
reach the city of Monterey, in Mexico.” 

“ Why ” asked Dan. 

“ I have a sister and an older brother there, 
interested in a mining venture. They are having 
no easy times with the greasers as it is. If war 
should strike that city it would be likely to go 
hard with them.” 

“I should think they would leave Mexico,” 
observed Oliver. 

“ No ; my brother is just bulldog enough to 
hold on, and my sister does not care to leave him. 
He would die rather than allow the Mexicans to 
confiscate his mine, which he thinks will prove 
valuable.” 

The night passed without special incident, and 
early in the morning our friends struck out for 
Victoria^ the soldiers leaving them, to ride in the 
direction of Goliad. 

“ If you get the chance, stop here on your 
return,” said Henry Cardell to Dan, on parting. 
“ I would like to hear from you how the military 
camp looks.” 

“I will stop,” said Dan. Cardell had refused 
to be paid for the accommodations he had given 
the party, and they were very thankful to him for 
his generosity. 

The character of the country now changed 
somewhat, for the rains had been frequent, and 


no WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

large sections of the river bank had been inun- 
dated thereby. 

“Ye want to be careful o’ the trail,” cautioned 
Poke, who generally rode in advance. “This is 
treacherous ground in spots.” 

About half the morning was passed, when, on 
looking down the stream, Oliver and Ralph both 
discovered a beautiful deer, drinking his fill at one 
of the pools under a clump of trees. 

“ Let us try for him ! ” shouted Oliver, and 
dashed off at the full speed of his horse. 

Ralph was as eager as his friend, and soon they 
were speeding along side by side, with Poke Stover 
and Dan calling vainly for them to come back. 

“They won’t git thet deer,” snorted Poke. 
“ He sees them already. He must be dreadful 
thirsty, or he’d be gone long ago.” 

“ Now Oliver can shoot pretty good, he’s crazy 
to bring down everything he sees,” returned Dan. 
“And I must say Ralph is about as bad.” 

“ Wall, I reckon ye war crazy ter shoot, too, a 
few years ago,” laughed the old frontiersman. 
“Perhaps ye don’t remember it, but I do,” and 
he chuckled to himself. 

Soon the two younger members of the party 
had passed out of sight. A minute later two 
shots rang out on the air. A silence followed, 
and then came a sudden and unexpected call for 
help. 


CHAPTER XIII. 


DIFFICULTIES OF THE TRAIL 

So anxious were the two youths to get the 
deer that each tried his best to gain the lead in 
the mad chase. 

By pure luck Oliver got slightly ahead of 
Ralph. But coming to a split in the trail he 
knew not which road to take. He turned to the 
right, while Ralph turned to the left. 

While they were all of a hundred feet apart, 
both caught sight of the deer again. The^wm^J 
was now bounding across the prairie with lightning- 
like leaps. Without hesitation both fired. But the 
deer was too far away, just as Poke Stover had 
surmised, and neither shot reached the qiiarry. 

Anxious to obtain another shot if possible, 
Oliver plunged on, without noticing the treacher- 
ous nature of the ground beneath him. Then of 
a sudden his horse went down with both fore legs, 
pitching the youth fairly and squarely over his 
head. 

As he went spinning through the air, Oliver let 
out the cry for help heard by Dan and the old 

III 


I 12 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

frontiersman, as well as by Ralph. The next 
instant the youth felt himself sink in a mixture of 
water and mud, flat on his back. 

He had been thrown into a treacherous 
morass, of the kind Poke had warned all against, 
and for the moment he scarcely knew what to do. 
But as the dirty water reached his mouth, he 
struggled to rise, and finally managed to get 
into something of a sitting position. But to 
stand upright was out of the question, for the 
pasty mud stuck to his lower limbs like so much 
glue. 

“ Help ! help ! ” he called, lustily. “ Help ! ” 

“What’s up.?” yelled Ralph, who was the 
closest to him. “ Did your gun explode ? ” 

“No, blit my horse threw me into a hole and I 
can’t get out ! ” panted Oliver. He had struggled 
so that he was almost exhausted. 

Ralph soon came closer, but with care, for he 
readily saw that the ground for several rods 
around was far from safe. In the meantime the 
horse Oliver had been riding began to plunge and 
kick, and at last freed himself from his trying 
position and sped on down the river trail. 

As soon as they were able to do so, Dan and 
Poke Stover reached the vicinity. 

“ What’s wrong .? ” questioned the elder Radbury 
of his brother. 

“ Oliver is in a mud-hole and can’t get out.” 



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DIFFICUL TIES OF THE TRAIL I 1 3 

“All of you be careful,” put in Poke. “This 
ain’t no easy matter ter deal with, hear me ! ” 

They dismounted, and tied their horses at a 
convenient spot. Then they moved forward by 
leaping from one clump of bushes to another. 
At last they were within five yards of poor 
Oliver, and that seemed as close as they could 
get to him. 

The youth was certainly the picture of misery, 
with dishevelled hair, and with the dirty water 
streaming over his face and neck. Dan was in- 
clined to laugh, but the seriousness of the dilemma 
checked him. 

“For gracious sake, somebody help me out of 
this,” groaned Oliver. “ I’m stuck here worse than 
a fly on fly-paper.” 

“ Don’t try to move yet — ye’ll only sink deeper,” 
cried Poke. “ We’ll throw you a rope.” 

He picked his way back to his horse and got 
his lariat, which hung from the saddle. When he 
returned he threw one end of the rope to Oliver, 
and told him to adjust it under his arms. 

“ Now come over here with me,” continued the 
frontiersman, to Dan and Ralph. “ Brace against 
this tree, and pull easy like at fust, otherwise 
somebody may git hurt.” 

They did as directed. Poke assisting, and soon 
the lariat was stretched as tight as a string on a 
bass fiddle. Still Oliver did not budge. 


1 14 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

“Oh, let up!” he shrieked at last. “You’re 
cutting me in two. Let up, I say I ” 

They let up, and the two Radburys looked at 
the old frontiersman in dismay. What was to be 
done next ? 

“He’s stuck worse nor I expected,” grunted 
Poke, thoughtfully, and with a shake of his head. 
“ Must be reg’lar glue than We’ll have ter try a 
different game.” 

He walked away from the morass, and in the 
meantime Dan tied the outer end of the lariat 
around a tree, so that Oliver might not slip deeper 
into the pasty ooze. Oliver continued to ask for 
immediate help, for the cord cut deeply into his 
sides, directly under the arms. 

At last. Poke Stover found what he was looking 
for, a small tree which the storms of the early 
winter had blown down. He called Dan and 
Ralph to him. 

“If we kin git thet log over to him, reckon 
it will be a big lift fer him,” he observed. “ I’ll 
chop off thet main branch. The others we’ll 
have to leave on, otherwise she’ll sink in the 
mud, too.” 

The branch pointed out was soon detached with 
the sharp axe the party carried, and then began 
the task of rolling the tree trunk just where they 
wanted it. It was hard work, and made the three 
perspire freely. But all of them had rolled logs 


DIFFICULTIES OF THE TRAIL II5 

before, so it was not as difficult as it would have 
proved had they been novices at the task. 

“A leetle closer,” cried Poke, presently. “Jest 
a leetle more ! Now, be steady ! To the right, 
Ralph ! Throw the end around, Dan. Now, over 
onct more ! Steady ! There she goes ! Oh ! ” 

The last exclamation came because of a splashing 
of the tree trunk which covered the entire party 
with spots of dirty water. It also caused a shower 
to descend over Oliver, who gave a yell, thinking 
the end of the tree trunk was going to hit him. 

“Don’t crush me!” he spluttered. “Take 
care I ” 

“ It ain’t so close as thet,” answered Poke, 
wiping the dirty water from his face. “ I didn’t 
calkerlate it would go over quite so quick,” he 
explained. “ But it’s a good job done.” 

He crawled out on the tree trunk with care and 
tried to get hold of Oliver’s hand. But the dislanc^ 
was a little too great. 

“Let us try to push the tree trunk clor-r,” 
suggested Ralph. 

“We can’t budge it, now it’s in the mud,” an- 
swered his brother. “ Let us bring the lariat 
around.” 

This was done, and Oliver was asked to place 
the rope partly under his knees. Then all hauled 
away again, standing up on the tree trunk and 
holding fast to the upstanding branches. 


Il6 W/TIf TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

The purchase was now a proper one, and with a 
loud sucking noise the unfortunate Oliver came up 
from the bed of the morass. As soon as he was 
free he made a wild clutch for the end of the tree 
limb, and in a few seconds more he was safe. 

The whole party now sought firmer ground, 
taking the two horses with them, and while Dan 
went off to look for the steed that had run away, 
the others helped Oliver to clean his clothing, and 
dry himself at a fire which they started. 

It was no easy matter for Dan to find Oliver’s 
horse. The sinking into the edge of the morass 
had frightened the animal, and led him to leave the 
trail and plunge straight for the open prairie. 

“ If he’s feeling fresh he’ll go for miles,” thought 
Dan. But I must catch him, for we can’t go on 
with one horse shy, and poor Oliver has suffered 
enough as it is.” 

The recent rains had left the ground soft, and 
the fresh hoof-marks were plainly to be seen. 
Soon the belt of timber running parallel with the 
stream was left behind, and he came out into the 
warm sunshine. There was a little brook not far 
away, leading to a hill which arose from the prairie 
like a hump half a mile distant. Toward this round 
hill the runaway horse had gone. At present he 
was nowhere in sight. 

Moving over the prairie with care, so as not to 
get into the holes of the numerous small animals 


DIFFICULTIES OF THE TRAIL II/ 

to be found in that territory, the elder Radbury at 
last gained the edge of the hill, which was fringed 
with mesquite bushes. Here he paused to make 
sure that he was on the right trail, then rode on- 
ward to the other side of the hill. 

As he came up to a patch of timber, he heard 
loud talking, and presently caught sight of two 
men who appeared to be in a warm dispute over 
something. 

“Hank Stiger and Big Foot the Comanche!” 
he exclaimed, to himself. “ What in the world can 
they be doing here ? ” 

The characters he mentioned were well known 
to him, as they are to those who read the first 
volume of this series. Hank Stiger was a half- 
breed who had in years gone by caused the Rad- 
burys much trouble. He had once stolen some 
valuable papers from the ranch, and later on tried 
to blow up the cabin with gunpowder. But he had 
been caught, after Poke Stover had shot hin^ in 
the knee, and his criminal career had been c^it 
short for the time being. Of late years Dan had 
seen but little of the man, and had heard that he 
was dead. 

Big Foot was a Comanche Indian who had been 
more or less friendly to the Radburys ever since 
the family had located upon the Guadalupe. He 
had once exposed Stiger, and he had also done 
Ralph a great service when the youth, then a boy 


Il8 'WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

of tender years, had been a prisoner of the Mexi- 
cans at San Antonio. But after that Big Foot 
had departed for the west, and his appearance in 
this locality filled Dan with curiosity. 

“ Something is wrong here,.” murmured the 
young man to himself, and then passed behind 
a clump of bushes with his horse. Soon he had 
dismounted and, gun in hand, was moving cau- 
tiously forward to where the ill-assorted pair were 
disputing. As he drew closer he saw that Big 
Foot had his hands behind him and that Hank 
Stiger stood with a pistol in his grasp, and the 
weapon was pointed at the Indian’s heart. 


CHAPTER XIV. 


A DROVE OF WILD HORSES 

Although Hank Stiger was a half-breed he 
spoke but little of the Indian tongue, conse- 
quently the conversation was carried on in bad 
English on his part and even worse English on 
the part of Big Foot. They were in the midst 
of a hot argument, and for several seconds Dan 
could not get the drift of the matter. 

“ I know your game,” Hank Stiger was saying. 

Eve seen sech doing before. Tell de truf. Big 
Foot, or ril shoot you ! ” 

“ Big Foot has told Hank truf,” came from the 
Comanche. “ Big Foot tell all he know.” 

ain’t so, dat ain’t!” cried Stiger, passion-^ 
ately. ‘‘You were over to Wallace’s las’ night.” 

“No, Big Foot at Gonzales — sell deer dare.” 

“It ain’t so, I say! You were bangin’ around 
Wallace’s. You ain’t goin’ back on me, remember 
dat ! Shall I shoot ? ” And Hank Stiger raised 
the pistol, which had dropped a trifle. 

The Comanche shrugged his shoulders and said 
nothing to this. He was as brave as the average 
119 


120 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

Indian, and, like nearly all of them, did not believe 
in showing any fear, no matter what the state of 
his real feelings. 

“ So you hev got dat twenty dollars,” went on 
Hank Stiger, after a pause. If you ain’t you 
hid it somewhere.” 

Again Big Foot made no answer. But he 
looked around anxiously, as if calculating his 
chance to escape. 

“ I want you to give me the money, do you 
hear dat ^ ” almost shouted Hank Stiger, working 
himself up into a rage. ‘‘What does an Injun 
like you want with twenty dollars, anyway } 
You’ll drink it up in two days.” 

“ Hank drink um up in one day,” ventured the 
Comanche, with a scowl. 

“No, I won’t — I want to buy something at 
Victoria The money is mine, too — Wallace 
nromised it to me.” 

Again Big Foot remained silent, and again he 
looked around. Then of a sudden he caught sight 
of Dan, who had crept up until he was directly 
behind Hank Stiger. 

A white man would have betrayed himself by 
a change of countenance, but the Indian remained 
as passive in looks as ever. Yet he fully recog- 
nised Dan, and he felt that he had a friend at 
hand, for he knew in what estimation Hank 
Stiger was held by the Radburys. 


A DROVE OF WILD HORSES 


12 I 


At once Hank Stiger let out a torrent of abuse, 
and stepping back a pace, he took careful aim at 
the Indian’s head. He was evidently beside him- 
self with rage, as well as half full of bad liquor. 
He was about to fire when Dan rushed in and 
knocked up his arm. The pistol was discharged, 
but the bullet merely cut the air. 

“None of that, Stiger ! ” cried the young man, 
and clasped the half-breed around the chest, pin- 
ning his arms to his side. Instantly Big Foot 
bounded forward and began a fierce struggle for 
the pistol, which he soon wrenched from Stiger’s 
grasp. 

“ Dan Radbury ! ” spluttered the half-breed, as 
he caught sight of the young man’s face over his 
shoulder. “ Le — let me go ! ” 

“ Keep quiet, Stiger,” commanded Dan. “ If 
you don’t I’ll let Big Foot shoot you. ’ j|n ^ . 

“This ain’t your quarrel — let up — or "Vii kilk 
somebody myself ! ” went on the infuriated wretch. 
“ Let up, I say ! ” and he began to swear in a uiost 
horrible fashion. 

But Dan held him tight, and now Big Foot 
came closer and placed the muzzle of the pistol 
at Stiger’s head. The contact with the cold metal 
caused the half-breed to shiver, and without warn- 
ing he collapsed, and then Dan knew that resist- 
ance was over, at least for the time being. As 
soon as he could he deprived Stiger of his hunting- 


122 W/T// TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

knife. Then, fearing that Big Foot would shoot 
even with Stiger subdued, he made the Comanche 
give up the pistol to him. 

Now sit down, both of you, and tell me 
what this is all about,” he said, as sternly as he 
could. 

Tn a rambling sort of way Stiger told his story, 
to the effect that a settler had promised him 
twenty dollars for rounding up some cattle. He 
said he had done the work with a little aid from 
Big Foot, but that the Indian had collected the 
money entirely for himself. 

Then Big Foot told his story, which was an 
entirely different version. He said the settler 
had promised them ten dollars each for the work, 
providing the cattle were all rounded up. He had 
done his share and gotten his ten dollars. Then 
Stiger had gone off on a spree and the settler had 
premised the Indian ten dollars more if he would 
finish up the work begun by Stiger. This he had 
done and he had met the settler afterward at Gon- 
zales, while selling some deer meat there, and had 
gotten a settlement. The settler was very bitter 
at Stiger for getting drunk and for ruining a pony 
by riding him too hard in the attempted round-up, 
and had told Big Foot that he had met the half- 
breed and told him that he was not to have a cent 
more under any circumstances than the two dollars 
paid in advance. 


A DROVE OF WILD HORSES 


123 


‘‘ Big Foot no got him twenty dollars,” con- 
cluded the Comanche. *‘Big Foot work for 
money and git him. Stiger no work, Stiger get 
drunk, no find cattle, most kill hoss, Wallace big 
mad, he send Stiger away. Stiger drink more, 
come after me. Want Big Foot to give money 
for more drink. Big Foot say no, he more mad, 
den much mad, and want shoot.” 

Dan felt that Big Foot was telling the truth, 
for Stiger had the appearance of one who had 
been on a prolonged spree, with his half-closed 
eyes, his bloated and inflamed face, and his cloth- 
ing which was torn and covered with dirt. 

“I believe you. Big Foot,” he said. “And I 
believe Stiger would believe you, too, were he 
sober.” 

The latter words were put in to mollify the half- 
breed, but Stiger was in no condition to appi^eiate 
them. 

“The money’s mine,” he muttered. “Its a 
shame to side wid him, Radbury ! ” 

“ I have never known Big Foot to be aishonest, 
Stiger.” 

At this remark the half-breed scowled more 
viciously than ever, for he knew that the young 
man might have added that he had known Stiger 
to be very dishonest. 

“Den I don’t git no money ” he demanded, 
abruptly. 


124 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

‘‘Not unless Big Foot wants to give you some.” 

“ Coin’ to give me back my knife and pistol ” 

“Will you promise to leave Big Foot and 
myself alone if I do ” 

“ Yes.” 

“Big Foot no give Stiger a cent,” put in the 
Comanche. “ He drink more, and him too much 
drink now.” 

“ I don’t blame you. Big Foot.” 

“ Stiger shoot um give pistol,” went on the 
Comanche, warningly. 

“ I’ll empty it first,” said Dan, and proceeded 
to do so. Then he handed the pistol and the 
knife to Stiger. 

“Now march,” he commanded. “And don’t 
you dare to look back this way, or I may be 
tempted to take a shot with my gun,” and Dan 
picked up the weapon, which he had stood against 
a tree. 

Stiger hesitated a minute. “Go along wid 
me.^” he queried of Big Foot. “Show you a 
big time, and we’ll bury the hatchet. I know 
where we can get some fine' wild bosses — seen 
’em yesterday.” 

But Big Foot shook his head. “Big Foot done 
wid Stiger,” he said. “ No more work togedder 
— bad t’ing,” and he shook his head again. 

Without another word Hank Stiger stalked off. 
As Dan had commanded, he did not look behind 


A DROVE OF WILD NORSES 1 25 

him, and presently he was lost to view across the 
rolling prairie. 

“Big Foot t’ank Dan for what um do,’’ said the 
Comanche, stepping forward suddenly and shaking 
the young man’s hand. “ No will forget, never ! ” 
he added, earnestly. 

“I am glad I chanced along, Big Foot,” re- 
turned Dan. 

“ What bring Dan here ” 

“ I and some others are on our way to the mili- 
tary camp at Corpus Christi. We lost a horse — 
he got away — and I am looking for him. Have 
you seen him anywhere around — a white horse 
with a black patch on his fore leg } ” 

“ Big Foot see horse running dat way. Come, 
um show Dan.” 

But before they could move. Poke Stover came 
riding rapidly toward them. He had heard 'the 
pistol-shots, and at a distance had seen Hank 
Stiger making off across the prairie, and now 
he wanted to know what it all meant. 

“ Hullo, Big Foot ! ” he cried to the Comanche. 
“You’re round ag’n. Thought as how you had 
passed in yer checks long ago.” 

“ Ugh ! Big Foot got much right to live as um 
Poke Stover,” returned the Comanche. 

“ Certain ye have. Big Foot, an’ Pm glad to see 
ye a-looking so good. You’re one o’ the few good 
Injuns left, I take it.” 


126 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

Stover turned to Dan. “ Who was that skedad- 
dling away } ” 

Dan told of what had occurred; and Poke at 
once said he “ reckoned as how he war right to 
side with Big Foot.” But he added: ‘‘You keep 
an eye peeled fer Stiger. He’s a snake in the 
grass, if ever there was one.” 

“Yes, um snake,” said Big Foot. “Um big 
drunk snake, too,” he added, and wondered why 
Stover laughed. 

They told the Comanche where they had left 
Ralph and Oliver, that he might walk over and tell 
them what had happened, and then they set out 
for the missing horse. 

“ He’s gone a smart spell by this time,” re- 
marked the old frontiersman, as they galloped 
over the rolling prairie. “ I reckon by the time 
we round him up we’ll have to go into camp for 
thr. night.” 

“ Well, time is no object, so there is no use 
of complaining. Poke. Only I hope we get back 
to Ralph and Oliver before we turn in.” 

“ Oh, I reckon we can do that, unless the runa- 
way is too all-fired frisky.” 

They went on for at least two miles without 
seeing anything more of the horse than the fresh 
tracks in the prairie grass, and then Poke re- 
marked that he must have been “uncommon 
frisky,” after all. “ I thought he looked played 


A DROVE OF WILD HORSES 


127 


out when Oliver was a-ridin’ of him,” he added. 

“ But that’s whar I missed my guess, eh ” 

They had now come to another round hill, with 
the usual fringe of trees and bushes. Here there 
was a spring of water, and they stopped to get 
a drink. As they were finishing they noticed 
Dan’s horse growing strangely agitated. 

“ Hark ! ” cried the young man. Poke, what 
does that mean } ” 

Both listened, and made out a curious snorting, 
coming from the opposite side of the hill. 

‘‘Wild bosses!” ejaculated the old frontiers- 
man. “ Didn’t know as how any of ’em was in 
this neighbourhood.” 

“ Let us have a look at them I ” cried Dan. 

“ Have you got your lasso } Perhaps we can bag 
one of them.” 

Poke had the lasso, and without further, wor^^ 
they leaped into the saddle. -y. 

A ride of a few minutes took them to the other 
side of the hill, and there they saw a sight v'hich"^ 
held them almost spellbound. 

Twenty or more wild horses were to be seen, 
beautiful in form, and full of life and action. In 
the midst of the group was Oliver’s horse, and the 
wild horses had attacked the domesticated animal 
and were trying to bite it to death. 


CHAPTER XV. 


UNCLE SAm’s soldier BOYS 

Poke, did you ever see such a scene in your 
life before.^” gasped Dan, when able to speak. 
“ See how vicious they are ! They will tear 
Ollie’s horse to pieces ! ” 

“Wild bosses ain’t got no use fer a tame boss, 
Dan,” answered the old frontiersman. “ Come ! ” 

“ What are you going to do ? ” 

“Save Ollie’s boss fer him. He’s wuth more 
than a wild one — to us.” 

So speaking, Poke Stover urged his own horse 
forward. At first the beast was inclined to shy 
to one side, but the old frontiersman had his well 
trained, and presently he went forward with a 
rush, and as he did so Poke discharged his 
pistol, aiming at the horse that appeared to be 
making the most vicious attack upon Oliver’s 
animal. 

Seeing this, Dan also took a, shot, and the wild 
horse went down, badly wounded. But it was 
not killed and an instant later it arose and began 
limping off. 


128 


UNCLE SAM'S SOLDIER BOYS 1 29 

The shots, and the falling of their leader, 
brought consternation to the other wild horses, 
and as Poke and Dan came riding straight toward 
them they broke and scattered. Then began a 
wild stampede, and in a minute more the drove 
was bounding over the rolling prairie at a break- 
neck rate of speed, with the wounded animal limp- 
ing on behind. Oliver’s horse started as if to 
follow, then turned, and moved slowly toward 
Dan, trembling in every limb and with the blood 
flowing freely from a bite in the flank. 

“We might have had a putty good round-up, 
if we had been out fer one,” remarked Poke, 
after the excitement was over and the drove was 
almost out of sight. “ Some putty good bosses 
thar.” 

“ Poor horse ! ” murmured Dan, referring to the 
bitten one, and dismounting, he patted Oliver’s ; 
steed on the neck and rubbed his nose. Thef'^' 
horse seemed to understand, and gave a pleased 
brush against him, as if for further protection. 

“We can’t do much with the wound,” saia the 
frontiersman, after an examination. “ It don’t 
appear to be very deep, and I reckon it will soon 
heal.” 

“ It’s queer how scared he was,” remarked Dan, 
while they were riding back to where they had left 
the others. “ And yet Ollie told me that he wasn’t 
afraid of the worst bull they have on the ranch.” 


130 IV/TJ/ TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

“ Thet’s the way of a boss, Dan ; nothin’ scares 
’em worse than to git back among their own kind, 
arfter they have been tamed an’ broken. They 
seem to think the wild bosses will be ashamed of 
’em, or something like thet.” 

It did not take long for them to gain the river, 
and here they found that Ralph and Oliver had 
gone into temporary camp. Big Foot had arrived 
and was bringing in some wood for the fire. The 
Comanche had told his story, and now Dan related 
what had followed. 

Oh, what a shame ! ” cried Oliver, when he 
saw his wounded steed. Then he hugged the 
horse around the neck and something like a tear 
stood in his eye, for the youth was very tender- 
hearted. It was not long before he washed the 
wounds and tended to them as much as his limited 
means allowed. Here the Indian’s knowledge 
of medicine came in. He brought in some wild 
roots, crushed them between two flat rocks, and 
told Oliver to sop the sap from them on the 
wounds. 

<‘Werry good him,” said Big Foot. ‘‘Make 
sores well quick,” and his words proved true, for 
the wounds began to heal that very night. 

The Indian remained with them to sleep, but 
departed early in the morning. He said he was 
going over to Goliad, but would perhaps meet them 
at Corpus Christi. 


UNCLE SAM'S SOLDIER BOYS 131 

“ Brudder tell me soldiers at Corpus Christi like 
go shoot,” he explained. '‘Big Foot go dare, take 
out um hunting party two dollar one day — make 
some money maybe.” 

“That’s an idea,” laughed Ralph. “And two 
dollars a day is cheap, if you show them something 
worth shooting.” 

“ Show hunter soldiers two dollars’ worth of him 
big game,” grunted the Comanche. “ No show 
four dollar for two dollar, no. Make um hunting- 
grounds las’ long time, him two dollar one day,” 
and he looked blankly at them, the Comanche way 
of inferring that he had said a good thing. 

Dan roared outright. “You’re cute. Big Foot,” 
he said. “ For two dollars per day you’ll give ’em 
two dollars’ worth of hunting and no more. Well, 
I reckon that’s square, but its pretty close to the 
line. At two dollars’ worth of hunting per day I 
reckon the hunting-grounds will last a couple of 
centuries or so,” and at this the others joined in 
the laugh. 

In the morning all felt refreshed, and tj e jour- 
ney toward Victoria was resumed. Nothing of 
special interest happened, and by nightfall they 
found themselves in the place, which at that time 
was little more than a thriving village. 

All were anxious for news from the seat of war, 
as people began to term it, but there was very 
little that was new to tell, excepting that the 


132 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

Mexicans were strengthening their army at 
Matamoras. 

“General Taylor will have to march against 
them soon,” said one of the leading men at Vic- 
toria. “ If he doesn’t they will march this way 
and make it rather lively for us.” 

“ I think they’ll be pretty slow about attacking 
the United States,” answered Dan. 

“ Oh, I don’t know. They are a hot-headed 
lot, you must remember.” 

The party remained in Victoria one night, put- 
ting up at a tavern well known to Poke Stover, a 
place in direct contrast to the hotels now to be 
found in the interior towns of Texas. The place 
was a long, low, two-story affair, with rooms which 
were barely furnished and with a parlour which was 
such only in name. The main room was the bar- 
room, with its thickly sanded floor and its gaudy 
prints strung along the walls. This was crowded 
night and day, and betting and gambling were 
never wanting. It made the Radburys sick to 
even look into such a resort, and they stayed away, 
and so did Oliver. Poke went in, but did not 
remain long. 

“Arfter the pure air of the river and prairies 
thet foul terbacker smoke is enough ter make a 
hog sick,” was the way the frontiersman expressed 
himself. “ How them fellers kin sit thar an’ drink, 
gamble, an’ swap yarns, is more’n I kin figure out. 


UNCLE SAM'S SOLDIER BOYS 1 33 

But they do it, an’ some of ’em won’t come away 
until their last red cent is drunk up,” and in this 
Poke spoke the truth, for in those days drinking 
was ten times more of a curse than it is to-day in 
these parts. 

From Victoria the party struck out due south 
for Refugio, another small village, midway between 
Victoria and Corpus Christi. There was promise 
of rain in the air, and they lost no time in getting 
over the road, having no wish to be caught in a 
belated “norther.” Some of these “northers” 
had been very severe upon the troops at Corpus 
Christi, blowing down the tents and driving the 
water from the gulf over a portion of the camping 
ground. But this was not an unmixed evil, for 
after the water went down many hollows around 
camp were found filled with stranded fish and 
turtles, and the soldiers had turtle soup and fish 
dinners to their hearts’ content. 

On the way to Refugio they fell in with half' 1 
dozen men of the regular army, and the ride was 
enlivened by stories of army life, to which uiivcr 
and the Radburys listened with keen relish. As 
the soldiers told these tales they were very allur- 
ing, and Oliver said so, after the regulars were 
gone. 

“You mustn’t believe all you hear, Ollie,” said 
Poke. “Take it with a mighty grain o’ salt is my 
motto. They told ye the nice things an’ allowed 


134 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

the dark things to take care o’ themselves. Wall, 
in real life the dark things don’t take care o’ them- 
selves so easily — ye hev got to take care o’ ’em, 
or bust.” 

When Refugio was reached it was raining in 
torrents, and they were glad to seek the shelter of 
a ranch kept by a man whom the old frontiersman 
knew well. This man had also met Mr. Fielding 
and Mr. Radbury, and he gave them all a warm 
welcome. He was, however, from Vermont, and 
bitterly opposed to the war. 

It simply means the extension of slavery and 
nothing else,” he said. If the Southerners knew 
that Texas was to become an anti-slave State after 
the war, there wouldn’t be a single Southerner go 
to the front.” 

“ Maybe they will divide Texas into two States, 
for and against slavery,” suggested Dan, and this 
vvas by no means a new idea or one of his own. 

No, they won’t divide the State that way. If 
they divide at all it will be into several slave 
States, so that the South can hold the balance of 
power against the North.” 

The rain that night was heavy, and in the morn- 
ing they found themselves unable to go on, because 
of the water and mud on the trail. But it cleared 
up by night, and the next day they set off early. 
That night found them at the old ranch of Red 
Waters, as it was then termed, which they found 


UNCLE SAM'S SOLDIER BOYS 


135 


crowded with soldiers who had been off on a grand 
hunt and had come in with several deer and wild 
birds innumerable. With these soldiers they made 
themselves at home, and so got something of a 
taste of camp life before the actual camp was 
gained. Twenty-four hours later found them at 
Corpus Christi, and more than eager to take in 
all that was going on. 


CHAPTER XVI. 


GENERAL ZACHARY TAYLOR 

“What a beautiful sight ! ” 

Such were the words which burst from Ralph’s 
lips as he and the others caught their first view of 
the encampment of the United States army at 
Corpus Christi. 

The exclamation was one not to be wondered at, 
for the encampment was certainly one of the most 
beautiful which ever fell to the lot of any army. 
Here was an immense level of thick grass fronting 
the bluish waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Between 
the level and the water was a long stretch of 
sandy shore, with here and there a bar of white 
pebbles. Far to the westward were rolling hills 
and immense forests, filled with game of a hundred 
kinds. Eor a long distance the level was dotted 
with the white tents of the soldiers, while further 
on were the wagons and horses and the artillery 
belonging to the army. Soldiers were to be seen 
everywhere, in companies and battalions, for it 
happened just then to be company and battalion 
drill. The cavalry was also at drill, and came 
136 


GENERAL ZACHARY TAYLOR 1 37 

rushing over the plain at a breakneck speed, while 
from a distance came the occasional notes of a 
bugle, or the rattle of a drum corps and the shrill 
screaming of fifes. 

“ It certainly is fine,” answered Dan. My, 
how soldierly they do look ! See those fellows 
marching, just as if they had ramrods down their 
backs. They cut a much better figure than we 
did when Texas was fighting for her liberty.” 

‘^Thet’s true,” put in Poke. “But I allow 
as how they won’t be able to fight better nor 
did the men under old Sam Houston at the 
battle o’ San Jacinto.” To Poke, and to a 
good many others for the matter of that, that 
battle of San Jacinto was the most wonderful on 
record. 

All were anxious to get a closer view of the 
camp, but a soldier, riding by, advised them to 
remain where they were for the next hour. - 

“We are going to have a grand parade soon,’.V 
he said. “ And you’ll be able to see all the infantry, 
and cavalry, and see General Taylor and tii^ other 
officers, too.” 

“ All right, then we’ll stay right where we are,” 
answered Dan, and the others agreed. They 
were on a slight knoll, and had tethered their 
horses to a lonely tree standing there. 

Soon the company and battalion drills gave way 
to regimental drills, and then the drums and bugles 


I3S WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

began to call the commands together for the grand 
parade. Out of the officers’ tents poured the 
leading general and his staff, and mounted the 
steeds brought to them. Then the grand parade 
began, and they watched it with breathless inter- 
est, as more than three thousand soldiers marched 
to and fro over the vast plain. 

There is Old Rough and Ready ! ” cried Poke, 
pointing with his hand. I tell you he’s a born 
fighter if ever there was one.” 

All looked in the direction and beheld General 
Taylor astride of his favourite horse. They saw 
a well-built man who was a trifle over sixty years 
of age. He had a determined but not an unkindly 
face, and eyes which could look one through and 
through. He was dressed in the full military 
regalia of the times, but he made no effort to 
“ show off,” as Oliver had expected he might. 

Gen. Zachary Taylor was indeed, as Poke had 
said, a born fighter, and had well earned the title 
of Old Rough and Ready. He was born Novem- 
ber 24, 1784, on a plantation in Orange County, 
Virginia, being one of several children that first 
saw the light of day in a wild neighbourhood 
which even now is but sparingly settled. Before 
Zachary was a year old, the family emigrated 
westward to the banks of the Ohio River, and 
settled close to what is to-day the city of Louisville, 
Kentucky. 


GENERAL ZACHARY TAYLOR 


39 


The early days of the future President of the 
United States were full of peril. Many were 
the fights which the settlers had with the Indians 
and with wild animals, and when young Zachary 
was sent to school, sometimes several miles from 
home, he was cautioned to keep his eyes open for 
both two-footed and four-footed enemies, and he 
did. 

Although young Zachary had the hope of being 
a soldier, his father made him remain on the farm, 
while the oldest son of the family obtained a much 
coveted army commission. Until he was twenty- 
three years old did the future President cut down 
trees, plough the soil, plant and reap, but at the 
same time he did not neglect his further education. 

At last his dream of an army life was realised, 
but not exactly in the manner he had anticipated. 
His brother William, then a second lieutenant of 
artillery, died, and Zachary was appointed tO fill 
the vacancy, receiving a commission as first lieu- 
tenant of the Seventh Infantry from the hands 
of President Jefferson. He reported New 
Orleans for duty, and two years later became a 
captain. 

The War of 1812 with England was now on, 
and some of the United States troops were needed 
in the great Northwest to keep back the Indians, 
who thought that now was the proper time to 
strike back at the settlers, when they were having 


140 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

their hands full with their white brothers from 
across the sea. In this campaign Zachary Taylor 
fought bravely, and was soon given command at 
Fort Harrison, on the Wabash River. The Indians 
made a fierce attack on the fort, but were repulsed 
with severe loss. Taylor was kept in the North- 
west until 1814, and did so well that he was 
warmly commended by General Harrison, who 
himself became President shortly afterward. 

From the Northwest the young soldier, who 
was now a major, was sent to several places, in- 
cluding Fort Jesup, which was built under his 
supervision in 1822. He had now gained a name 
as an Indian fighter, and ten years later he served 
as a colonel in the Black Hawk War. During 
this war he showed not alone his daring, but also 
his regard for strict discipline, as the following 
anecdote will show. 

The colonel had with him some- regular United 
States soldiers and some volunteers. While on 
the trail of the Indians, the volunteers refused to 
cross a certain river, saying that they were volun- 
teers, and as such could not be called upon to 
leave their own State to engage in war in the 
Indian country. 

To this argument the commander at first said 
nothing. A halt was made on the river bank, 
and Taylor sent back to headquarters asking for 
advice on the disputed question. During the 


GENERAL ZACHARY TAYLOR 


41 


night word came back to follow Black Hawk to 
the end. 

In the meantime the mutiny, for it can be called 
nothing less, increased, and early in the morning 
a meeting of the volunteers and their sympathisers 
was held, at which several speeches were made 
concerning State rights, as the question was 
called. Presently Colonel Taylor was requested 
to present his side of the question. 

The commander’s answer was short and to the 
point. In a few words he told them what a re- 
gard he had for them as fellow citizens, and how, 
as fellow citizens, they might rank higher than 
himself. 

“But,” he added, impressively, “the word has 
been passed on to me from Washington to follow 
Black Hawk to the end, and to take you with me 
as soldiers. I mean to do both.” Here he drew 
himself up to his full height, and eyed them With 
a sternness that left no room for further dispute. 
“ There are the flat-boats drawn up on the shore, 
and there are Uncle Sam’s soldiers drawn up 
behind you on the prairie. You will move forward 
without further delay.” And they did move for- 
ward, in a hurry ; and that was the end of the 
mutiny so far as it concerned Zachary Taylor’s 
troops. 

For a number of years the Seminole and other 
Indians of Florida had made life unbearable for 


142 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

the inhabitants, and in 1836 Old Rough and Ready 
was ordered to that State. A long and arduous 
campaign on the Kissimmee River followed, which 
brought to Taylor an important victory over the 
red men at Okeechobee. For six weeks the troops 
marched and fought through the Everglades, in 
water sometimes up to their knees, with sickness 
and disease on every hand. For his brilliant ser- 
vices in Florida, Taylor was appointed a brigadier- 
general by brevet. 

General Taylor remained in Florida a consider- 
able time, but the work was too hard for any man 
to stand long, and at last he asked to be relieved, 
and this permission was reluctantly granted, and 
he was transferred to Fort Jesup, to have, as a 
department commander, several of the Southern 
States under his care. In the years to follow he 
shifted from one fort to another, and thus the 
time was passed until he was called upon by 
the United States authorities to take up the cam- 
paign against the Mexicans on the Rio Grande, 
that campaign which was to prove the hardest and 
yet the most brilliant, of his life. 


CHAPTER XVIL 


THE CROSSING OF THE COLORADO 

The grand parade was a revelation to our 
friends, who had come so many miles to view the 
camp of the soldiers, and Ralph, Dan, and Oliver 
were highly enthusiastic over it. 

Never saw anything like it in my whole life ! ” 
declared Ralph, as company after company marched 
by, with drums beating, bands playing, and the 
glorious stars and stripes floating in the breeze. 
“ I declare, I feel like joining them on the 
spot ! ” 

“You can’t join the regulars so easily” said 
Dan, but with a thoughtful air, for he, too, v/as 
absorbed in the sight. “They’ll put you thro i 'h 
a regular course of sprouts first.” 

“Well, I reckon I could stand the examination, 
Dan.” 

“ I think we could all stand that,” put in Oliver. 
“ I don’t believe they are so particular in time of 
war. They’ll want men bad enough.” 

“Texas has promised one thousand volunteers,” 
said a horseman, who had ridden near them, also 
143 


144 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

to watch the grand parade. “You fellows can 
easily get in that crowd if you wish.” 

“ Hurrah ! then we’re in it ! ” cried Ralph, im- 
pulsively. “ I’m a volunteer from this minute ! ” 

“And I am with you !” cried Oliver, “that is, 
unless my folks put up too much of a kick against 
it,” he continued, sobering down. 

“ If I go, I shall go with the Rangers from our 
neighbourhood,” said Dan. “ I know most of 
them, and I’ll feel more at home than I would 
among strangers.” 

So the talk ran on, and the stranger who had 
come up added to their store of knowledge con- 
cerning the troops to be furnished by Texas. By 
the time the grand parade was over they knew 
all they wished to know about enlisting, and then 
they obtained permission from one of the officers 
to inspect the camp at closer range, and moved 
down between the long rows of white tents, to 
where the artillery and horses were located. 

“ Hullo, boys,” was the sudden cry, and looking 
one side they saw George Nolan hurrying 
toward them. “ Sure, an’ where did you come 
from .? ” 

“ Came from home, to see the soldiers,” answered 
Ralph. “ But what does this mean ? What are 
you wearing soldier clothes for ? ” 

“Sure an’ haven’t I j’ined the army,” answered 
Nolan, in strong Irish accent, and with a grin 


THE CROSSING OF THE COLORADO 1 45 

on his expansive face. “ It’s meself that couldn’t 
keep away, wid so much fightin’ in sight. Says 
I to myself, says I, ‘George, you can’t stay 
home wid so many greasers to be taught a lesson,’ 
says 1. ‘You must do your juty,’ says 1. ‘J’ine 
the sodgers at onct,’ says I, ‘ and the nixt day I sot 
out, an’ here I am, a sergeant in Company C of 
our battalion of Texan volunteers.’ ” 

“ I’m glad to hear it ! ” cried Ralph. “I’m 
going to join, too ! ” 

“And so am I — if they’ll take me and the 
folks are willing,” put in Oliver. 

“ Sure an’ I reckon most all av the stout-hearted 
laddy-bucks are j’inin’. That of yourself, Dan ” 

“Are any of our Rangers here .? ” 

“ Sure they are — over beyond the curve av the 
gulf, — Bob Morrell’s crowd, an’ Wolf Bradley, Si 
Quiggs, an’ all thim.” 

“Good ! I’ll go over and see them.” 

“That crowd will be a regular mounted volun- 
teer company,” called Nolan after Dan, as the 
latter rode off, followed by Poke Stover. 

Soon Dan was among a number of old friends, 
and learned that many others were expected in a 
day or two. He was already attached, as we know, 
to the Rangers, and was warmly welcomed by the 
captain, who had fought with the Radburys at the 
battle of San Jacinto. 

“ Of course we want you, Dan,” he said, in his 


146 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

easy, familiar style, quite different from the style 
of the officers in the regular army. “And we 
want you, too, Poke.” 

“ I’m with Dan,” answered the old frontiersman. 
“ Whatever he does I’ll do. I promised his father 
to keep an eye on the boys,” and he laughed 
broadly, realising that Dan was no longer the boy 
he had been in those never-to-be-forgotten days 
when Texas was struggling for liberty. 

Presently Oliver and Ralph came along, and all 
hands were invited to remain to dinner, and 
accepted. 

“ We’re getting fish by the wholesale out of the 
gulf,” said one of the Rangers. “ Never saw 
better fishing in my life — nor boating either. 
The boats are out every day, and sometimes the 
soldiers get up boat races, to help pass the time 
away.” 

“ Have you any idea when you are going to 
move forward ? ” asked Oliver. 

“We \ on’t stay here much longer, I reckon. 
The greasers are massing a big army at Matamoras, 
and Old Rough and Ready won’t give them the 
chance to march into Texas, you may be sure on 
that.” 

Our friends remained in camp for the balance 
of the day, and when they left, the head of each 
of the younger members of the party was in a 
whirl. 


THE CROSSING OF THE COLORADO 1 4 / 

“ How different from the old times ! ” remarked 
Ralph. “ How some of those uniforms shine ! ” 

“Yes, Ralph, but that doesn’t make the men 
any better soldiers,” returned Dan. 

“ I know that.” 

“ No soldiers can fight better than did ours at 
the fall of the Alamo and at San Jacinto. If the 
troops under General Taylor do as well it will be 
an honour to them.” 

“ What a fine-looking soldier General Taylor 
makes ! ” came from Oliver. “ His rough and 
ready appearance just suits me. He’ll make 
the Mexicans hustle when he gets after them.” 
And so the talk ran on until they retired. 

Two weeks passed swiftly, but space will not 
permit me to relate all the things which happened 
in that space of time. 

Suffice it to say that the Radburys sent word 
home that they were going to join the troops 
from the State of Texas. Oliver asked for pei- 
mission to join, and this was grgJa^«^S^i<ter Mr. 
Fielding had come on to see his so^^^iiver ara 
Ralph were to be together, in oi^e c< >rnT-any, whtT#^ 
Dan was in another. After some hesjtation, Puke 
Stover joined the scouts, or spies^ of which there 
were fifty or more. 

General Taylor had been waiting for positive 
orders from Washington to move forward, and at 
last the orders came, and everything was made 


148 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

ready for a start. Part of the expedition went 
by water, including a battery of field-guns and 
a siege train, under the command of Major Monroe ; 
all the other went by land, under the command 
of General Taylor himself. The advance of the 
boats was to be regulated by the progress made 
on land. 

The breaking up of camp was a busy time for all, 
including our friends, who had now donned regular 
soldiers’ uniforms and who were quite proficient 
in drill. Many came to see the army off, and 
the start was made with bands playing and with 
the general aspect of a holiday. Even with hunt- 
ing and fishing, the stay at Corpus Christi had 
become wearisome, and the soldiers, especially 
the regulars, were impatient to be up and doing,” 
as they expressed it. 

The camping place had been a lovely and favour- 
able spot, but rapidly the character of the country 
began to change. The richly covered prairies 
gave place to a soil not unlike ashes, in which the 
iv>et sank at every step, and in which but little 
grew but a wiry grass that was distasteful to both 
horses and cattle. Here and there the Spanish 
bayonet flourished, covered with whitish blossoms 
and full of points as sharp as needles. In the 
dim distance could be seen dwarfed trees and 
bushes, trying their best to keep a foothold and 
live ifi that forsaken district. 


THE CROSSING OF THE COLORADO 1 49 

“ If this is the territory that is in dispute, I 
think it’s a mighty poor bit of ground to quarrel 
over,” remarked Ralph, as he rode along by 
Oliver’s side. “ Why, I wouldn’t give a cent an 
acre for it ! ” 

It was not long before the army began to suffer 
from thirst, and then, as they advanced over the 
long stretches of barren sand, one and another 
would discover what looked like a lake ahead, 
with bushes and shady trees. Alas, when the 
spot was gained, there would be the same sand, 
burning with sunshine, and then the soldiers would 
discover that they were the victims of a mirage. 
And when a stream was reached it was generally 
found to be so salt with water from the gulf that 
to drink the liquid was out of the question. 

But these hardships were not to last long. The 
army had left Corpus Christ! on the 
March, and nine days later the advanc<? under 
General Taylor reached the vicinity of the Co^^j 
rado River. Here a small party of Mexicai?s 
were met, and they warned the United States 
commander not to cross the stream, or the army 
would be fired upon. 

At once our soldiers were drawn up in battle- 
array, and a good deal of subdued excitement 
arose, for many felt certain that the first battle 
of the war was now at hand. Yet all were eager 
to go ahead. But this was not so easy, tor the 


150 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

banks of the Colorado at this point were twenty 
feet high, and a road had to be made leading to 
the water’s edge. 

“ We’ll make the road and go on,” said the 
commander, and the work began at once, while 
the Mexicans began to sound bugles far up and 
down the stream, to give the Americans the im- 
pression that a large force was gathering at that 
point. Our artillery was at once brought up and 
placed in position, and the port fires were lighted, 
for in those days the artillerymen had to have 
lights with which to discharge their pieces. 

At last all was ready for the advance, and four 
companies of artillery, under the command of 
Captain C. F. Smith, rushed down to the ford 
below. Every one expected a deadly fire from the 
enemy, but it did not come, and then the com- 
mand hurried across the ford, under the leader- 
ship of General Worth, and mounted to the 
opposite shore of the Colorado. Here it was 
discovered that the Mexican camp behind the 
chaparral and trees was deserted. The enemy 
had fled toward the Rio Grande, and a first battle 
was thus postponed for some other day. 


CHAPTER XVIII. 


HOISTING OUR FLAG ON THE RIO GRANDE 

“ Humph ! we didn’t get much of a fight that 
time,” said Ralph, after the excitement was over. 

“ No, and I was all primed for a big tussle,” 
returned Oliver. “Where do you suppose the 
greasers are ? Lurking in the bushes ? ” 

“ That’s to be found out.” 

It was to be found out, but it did not take the 
scouts, including Poke, to learn the truth of the 
matter, — that the few Mexicans that had been 
in the vicinity had departed in the direction of 
Point Isabel, a port on the gulf, but a few miles 
north of the mouth of the Rio Grande. 

The advance of the army was now in four 
columns, across the prairies, with three coliimns 
moving almost directly toward Matamoras and 
the fourth in the direction of Point Isabel. The 
face of the country now became more productive, 
and the grass teemed with animal life, which 
included many snakes, among which were rattlers 
of no mean size. 

The rattlesnakes were a constant source of 

151 


152 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

terror to the soldiers and to the horses and cattle, 
and the shooting of them went on continually, 
although the soldiers were ordered not to waste 
their ammunition. 

Late one afternoon the company to which 
Ralph and Oliver were attached came to a halt in 
a small grove of stunted trees, where there was a 
tiny spring. Here the soldiers got a drink and 
watered their horses, the steeds being in sad need 
of something with which to relieve their thirst. 

While the watering was going on, Oliver saun- 
tered beyond the grove, and was standing survey- 
ing the landscape to the westward, when without 
warning a huge rattlesnake came gliding toward 
him through the grass, and wound itself about the 
legs of both of the young soldier’s boots ! 

So quickly was the movement executed that 
Oliver could do nothing to help himself. He 
tried, to run, but with both legs fast he pitched 
headlong, and the rattlesnake then proceeded to 
wind itself higher up on his body. 

It was now that the young soldier found his 
voice and began to yell in a manner that would 
have done credit to a savage. At his cry, half 
a dozen other soldiers answered him, including 
Ralph. 

What’s the matter, Fielding } ” 

^‘What are you making such an awful racket 
about ? ” 



‘“SHOOT him! help!’ OLIVER CONTINUED TO CRY.” 







OUR FLAG ON THE RIO GRANDE 1 53 

Do you want to let the greasers know we are 
coming ? ” 

“ A snake ! ” yelled the young soldier. “ A 
big rattler, and he has me around the waist. 
Help!” 

At the mention of a rattlesnake each of the 
soldiers made a grab for his gun, and in a twinkle 
they came leaping toward Oliver, with Ralph 
among them. In the meantime Oliver was trying 
to catch hold of the tail of the reptile, but without 
success. 

“ Shoot him ! Help I ” Oliver continued to 
cry, and several raised their weapons. But to get 
a good aim was not easy, for the rattlesnake was 
constantly shifting its position, and none of the 
soldiers wished to wound their young comrade. 

In the midst of the excitement a lieutenant of 
the command came forward. He had a sword at 
his side, but for the moment did not think to 
use it. 

“Won’t you use the sword, lieutenant ” asked 
Oliver, and instantly the officer brought the 
weapon forth. But even to use the sword was 
not easy, and the lieutenant had as much of a 
dread of the rattlesnake as anybody. 

The snake was now evidently as excited as 
the soldiers, and instead of striking at Oliver it 
twisted its beady eyes first on one man standing 
near and then another. Oliver was now desperate. 


154 ^/TI/ TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

and of a sudden clutched the snake by the neck, 
directly behind the head. As soon as he made 
this movement the rattler unwound itself from his 
body and shifted its coils to the young soldier’s 
neck ! 

The situation was now more than desperate, for 
although Oliver could hold the rattlesnake’s head 
from him, he could not release himself from that 
whip-like body which was slowly but surely stran- 
gling him. The lieutenant sprang forward with 
the sword, but made a false stroke, cutting Oliver 
a slight gash in the shoulder. At the same in- 
stant one of the soldiers fired at close range, and 
another fired over the lieutenant’s shoulder, and 
this made the officer drop the sword and step 
back in a hurry, for he was afraid he would be 
hit instead of the snake. 

When some of the smoke lifted, it was seen 
that Ralph had picked up the sword and was close 
to Oliver’s side. “Don’t fire — I’ll fix him,” cried 
the younger Radbury, and almost before anybody 
realised it he was sawing away at the snake’s 
neck, directly behind the spot where Oliver held 
the reptile. Fortunately, the blade was tolerably 
sharp, and soon the head dropped to the ground, 
and as it did so down went Oliver, all but strangled 
to death. 

Even yet the struggle was not over, for the 
body of the rattlesnake still clung to Oliver’s 


OUR FLAG ON THE RIO GRANDE 1 55 

neck, and it was all Ralph and the others could do 
to disengage it. But now the soldiers flocked 
around, and willing hands at last tore the snake 
loose and pitched it into the grass. Then Oliver 
was carried to the spring and given every atten- 
tion. He lay insensible for quarter of an hour, 
and when he came to was so excited that a doctor 
had to be called to give him something for his 
nerves. 

“ Oh, what an ugly thing ! ” he said, with a 
shudder, when talking it over with Ralph later on, 
“ ril never forget it as long as I live ! ” 

“ It’s an experience nobody would like to fall 
into,” answered Ralph. “ But I was afraid of 
something of that sort ever since the rattlers 
became so numerous, and Tom Mallory found one 
in his knapsack the other morning. I tell you a 
fellow can’t be too careful out here. We have 
more enemies than the greasers to fight.” 

“ I’ll be careful after this, never fear,” went on 
Oliver. “ I won’t take a step without looking 
ahead, and as for sleeping — ” He finished with, 
a shudder. It was a good week before he got 
anything like a sound sleep again. 

Several days after leaving the Colorado River, 
the army, or rather a portion of it, gained the trail 
running from Point Isabel to the Rio Grande at 
a point opposite Matamoras. Learning that no 
Mexicans werie about in force, General Taylor 


156 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

ordered the main army to halt, and then pro- 
ceeded to Point Isabel with his dragoons and his 
supply-train. 

When nearing the town the United States com- 
mander was met by a Mexican prefect, who came 
forward to protest against his occupancy of what 
the prefect termed Mexican territory. 

“ I am ordered to the Rio Grande, and shall 
proceed there,” was the general’s answer. “ I 
will give you my further answer when opposite 
Matamoras.” The prefect wished to argue the 
point, but Old Rough and Ready would not listen. 

Suddenly a column of smoke was seen to be 
rising in the direction of the town, and it was 
realised that the prefect had contrived for a delay. 
General Taylor would not allow this, and some 
troops were ordered forward. They went with a 
rush, and most of the buildings were saved. Then 
the train and dragoons took possession, and the 
boats belonging to the Americans arrived at about 
the same time. 

As the main army approached the vicinity of 
the Rio Grande, there was a great change in the 
face of the country. The ground was more roll- 
ing, and covered with better grass, brush, and 
trees. Occasionally large herds of cattle were 
seen, with here and there a few wild horses. 

“ The Rio Grande is a fresh water river,” said 
Poke to Dan, as they rode along one day. “ So 


OUR FLAG ON THE RIO GRANDE 1 57 

we won’t suffer for water any more.” And for 
this Dan and all the other soldiers were thankful. 

At last came the time, early in the morning of 
the 28th of March, that the Army of Occupation 
came within sight of the great river which was 
henceforth to mark the boundary between the 
United States and Mexico. It was a welcome 
sight, and many a weary soldier, after his struggle 
over the desert left behind, felt like raising a 
cheer. Fig, orange, and pomegranate trees were 
plentiful, and along the richly verdured bank of 
the stream were beautiful gardens belonging to 
Mexican senors of more or less importance. 

That our army was expected was evinced by 
the people of the city of Matamoras, who crowded 
the shore opposite. In the distance could be 
seen the flag of Mexico, and without delay a flag- 
staff was erected on the northern shore, and the 
stars and stripes were run up, one military band- 
in the meanwhile playing the “ Star Spangled 
Banner,” and the other “Yankee Doodle.” 

“ Now they have got to fight or do sometldng,” 
said Dan, as he watched proceedings with deep 
interest. But there was no fight, and the army 
went into camp as before. 

The raising of the United States flag on the 
bank of the Rio Grande angered the Mexicans 
very much, and without delay a messenger was 
sent to General Taylor with a demand that the 


158 WIl'H TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

banner be hauled down. To this the commander 
replied that the flag was flying there by order of 
the United States, and there it would stay. This 
answer made the Mexicans furious. 

We will see if it remains there,” said one of 
their generals. “It shall be cut down, if we have 
to wade knee deep in the blood of the Yankees 
to do it ! ” Such talk was extravagant ; still, the 
Mexicans were determined to rout our army if 
they could. 

The Rio Grande immediately in front of the 
city of Matamoras winds around in the form of 
the letter S, and on the river bank the Mexicans 
had erected several forts and mortar batteries, 
extending from one end of the S to the other. 

On arriving at the river General Taylor first 
made his headquarters near the bend below the 
city, in front of which was a building, later termed 
the Old Guard House. The flagstaff was planted 
in the bend directly opposite Matamoras, and a 
battery of two bombs was placed in front of it. 
Around the flagstaff was begun the erection of 
a fortification which was afterward called Fort 
Brown, on the spot where the city of Brownsville 
now stands. 


CHAPTER XIX. 


A STRUGGLE WITH A SPY 

For several days nothing of a warlike nature 
occurred, and Ralph and the others settled down 
once more to the ordinary routine of camp life. 
Yet there was much to interest the young soldiers, 
for a coming “fight ” was in the air. Moreover, 
many traders came into camp, from Matamoras 
and elsewhere, and they generally had something 
of interest to relate. 

No doubt the majority of the traders were 
honest, but among the people coming and going 
were several spies, as was afterward learned. 
With one of these spies Dan had an experience 
fully as thrilling as the experience Oliver had h . . 
with the rattlesnake. 

The young soldier had been sent to headquar- 
ters on an errand for a superior. It was just at 
dusk, and the clouded sky gave forth every indi- 
cation of a rain. He was carrying a bundle which 
was not large but quite heavy, and was taking his 
time about it. 

As he passed a clump of mesquite he heard a 
159 


l6o WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

strange noise coming from a tree behind the 
bushes, and looking over his shoulder caught sight 
of a note-book as it fell from the tree into the 
thicket below. With the falling of the note-book 
came a mutter of a Spanish voice, instantly hushed 
as the speaker noticed the proximity of Dan. 

‘‘ Hullo, what is that fellow doing up yonder 
tree ? ” thought Dan. But it did not strike him 
at the time that the man in the tree might be a 
spy, and he walked on without stopping to pick 
the note-book up. 

But he had hardly gone on a hundred feet when 
he suddenly changed his mind and turned back. 
He was in time to see a fellow in the garb of a 
Mexican horse trader lowering himself into the 
mesquite bushes. Then the man began to feel 
around for the note-book, which he soon picked 
up and slipped into his breast pocket. 

“ Hullo ! What are you doing there ? ” de- 
manded Dan, coming as close as the nature of 
the chaparral would permit. 

At this the Mexican shook his head slowly, 
meaning that he did not understand English. 
Then, as Dan could speak a little Spanish, picked 
up since his boyhood days, he repeated his ques- 
tion in that language. 

‘‘ I was only resting,” answered the Mexican. 

It seemed a lame excuse, and Dan became more 
suspicious than ever, 


A STRUGGLE WITH A SPY 


6l 


Resting ? ” he repeated. “ A fine place for 
you to rest — in sight of General Taylor’s head- 
quarters.” 

“ I brought over a horse,” said the Mexican, 
glibly, recovering somewhat from his dismay over 
being discovered. I had hard work to sell him. 
I was very tired, and I climbed into the tree to 
take a nap before going back.” 

Dan looked the fellow straight in the eyes, and 
came to the conclusion that he was lying. What 
to do he hardly knew, but he made up his mind 
that the Mexican should not get away until he 
had undergone a search. Perhaps the note-book 
might be a stolen one. 

“ Come out here,” he said. 

“ What does the young soldier want of me } 

“ I want to see what you have about your 
person.” 

“I am an honest trader!” cried the Mexican, 
but his face grew dark as he spoke. 

“ Perhaps ; but I want to search you. Or el.‘ *■ 
you can go to headquarters with me.” 

This alarmed the Mexican still more, and he 
begged Dan not to report him, saying he was 
afraid the Americanos would hang him, they were 
such a bloodthirsty lot. 

^‘Let me go and I will give you two dollars,” 
he added, and pulled the Mexican silver coins from 
his pocket. 


1 62 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

“No, I am not that kind,” replied Dan, angrily. 
“ And I want you to come here at once. If you 
don’t I will call the nearest guard.” 

“ No ! no ! I will come out,” said the Mexi- 
can, and began to pick his way out of the mesquite 
bushes to the level grass behind the tree. At once 
Dan followed him to the spot, throwing down his 
bundle as he did so. Something warned him to 
beware of this stranger. 

“Now show me that note-book you just picked 
up,” went on Dan, and caught the Mexican by the 
arm. 

“ It is of no importance,” insisted the other, and 
attempted to back away. 

“ Show it to me, or I will call the guard. Do 
you know what I think ? I think you are a 
spy!” 

At these words the Mexican started. Then he 
looked around swiftly, to see if anybody else was 
in sight. The coast was clear, and with the swift- 
ness of a panther he leaped upon Dan, clutched 
him by the throat, and bore him to the ground. 

As we know, the young soldier was partly on 
his guard. But he had not expected such a 
lightning-like attack, and for the instant he was 
stunned. Then he realised what was taking place 
and squirmed to free himself, at the same time 
trying to call for assistance. But his cries were 
cut short by the hand at his throat. 


A STRUGGLE WITH A SPY 163 

“ Silence ! ” hissed the Mexican. “ Silence, or I 
will kill you on the spot ! ” 

As he spoke he tried to draw a stiletto from his 
breast. But Dan saw the movement, and realising 
what it meant, — probably death, — he caught the 
hand before the dagger could be withdrawn from 
the Mexican’s clothing. Then over and over rolled 
the pair, at first toward the bushes and then out 
on the prairie grass. 

The rain was now beginning to fall, and this 
made the day darker than usual, so that no one a 
hundred yards from the spot could see what was 
going on. The Mexican was strong and he was 
also desperate, and the clutch on Dan’s neck was 
like that of a vise. 

At last both of the contestants began to grow 
weaker, Dan especially so, for he had not been 
able to draw a fair breath since that first leap^at 
him. But he had managed to bring his knee wel\ 
up on his chest, and now he let -out with his foot 
and gave the Mexican a prodigious prod in the 
stomach. 

This movement was a success, for with a sharp 
cry of pain the rascal dropped his hold, staggered to 
his feet, slipped, and fell backward. Dan wanted 
to follow up this advantage, but for the moment 
could do little but gasp for breath. He let out 
the loudest cry possible under the circumstances 
and stood over the Mexican. 


164 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

It took the enemy but a few seconds to regain 
his feet. Then, hearing voices on the other side 
of the bushes,' he started to run. 

But Dan’s blood was up, and he was now satis- 
fied more than ever that the fellow was not what 
he had pretended to be. He ran after the Mexi- 
can and caught him by the shoulder. 

Instantly the fellow pulled the stiletto from his 
breast, and the bright steel was brandished over 
the young soldier’s head. 

“ Let go ! ” said the man in Spanish. “ Let go, 
or I will strike ! ” 

But now the voices were coming closer, and Dan 
let out another cry. Then the stiletto came down, 
but the young soldier leaped back and the blow 
was of no avail. 

Two soldiers of the guard now came into view, 
each with a gun. Again the Mexican started to 
run, but Dan put out his foot, and in his excite- 
ment the fellow pitched headlong in the grass. 

“ What’s up here ? ” demanded one of the guards. 

Arrest that man ! ” panted Dan. He was 
going to kill me with his knife ! ” 

“ The dirty greaser ! ” ejaculated the guard, and 
promptly aimed his weapon at the Mexican’s head. 

In a moment more the three were around the 
fellow, just as the latter was concealing the stiletto 
in his breast. He begged to be let go, and again 
affirmed that he was only a horse trader and had 


A STRUGGLE WITH A SPY 165 

meant no harm, and that he had only pulled the 
stiletto to scare Dan. 

The guards listened to his story and then turned 
to Dan, who promptly related the incident of the 
note-book and what had followed. 

I reckon you have made a haul,” said one of 
the guards, when Dan had finished. “ We’ll take 
this fellow to headquarters, anyhow.” 

Dan picked up his bundle once more, and the 
party of four set out for headquarters. The 
Mexican did not wish to go, but there was no 
help for it, for the guards would have shot him 
down at the first sign of resistance. 

At headquarters the Mexican was turned over 
to the officer of the day, for this appeared an 
unusual case, and again the fellow told his story. 
Then he was searched, and as the note-book was 
taken from him he tried to tear out several of 
the pages and destroy them. 

No, you don’t ! ” cried one of the guards, and 
got the pages from him. They were examined 
and they proved to contain well-drawn maps 
the camp with the officers’ tents all marked. 

A spy, if ever there was one ! ” cried the officer 
of the day, and, after another close examination of 
the Mexican’s clothing, he was led away to the 
guard-house. He gave his name as Jose Manguel, 
but it is doubtful if this was correct. 

Just after the examination was concluded, Gen- 


1 66 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

eral Taylor came into headquarters, and he was 
told of what had taken place. At once he sum- 
moned Dan before him. The young soldier went 
in and saluted in his best military style. General 
Taylor looked him squarely in the face. 

“ I am pleased to have one of my men do his 
duty so thoroughly,” said General Taylor. ‘‘The 
capture of this spy is of importance.” And after 
a few more words Dan was dismissed. 

Later on Jose Manguel was ascertained to be 
a well-known Mexican police officer, and it was 
thought by all that he would be hung according 
to the rules of war. But the Mexican government 
made a strong plea in his behalf, and when the war 
was almost over he was let go on parole. What 
became of him after that our friends never 
learned. 


CHAPTER XX. 


BOMBARDMENT OF FORT BROWN 

General Arista had now arrived to take 
charge of the Mexican army gathered at Mata- 
moras, and he at once opened negotiations with 
General Taylor, stating that the Americans must 
leave the vicinity of the Rio Grande, or operations 
would at once be begun against them. This was 
what had been told to our commander, and he 
paid no attention to the communication further 
than to hasten the work upon F'ort Brown and 
otherwise strengthen his line of defence. ..To 
meet the enemy was his desire and the desire of 
all the soldiers under him. In fact, old veterans 
have often said that at this period of the cam})aigii 
all of the regulars and many of the volunteers 
were fairly ‘‘ spoiling for a fight.” 

Hostilities were not long in commencing. Gen- 
eral Arista sent twenty-five hundred men across 
the river in two parties, one above and the other 
below the American camp, the intention being to 
cut off General Taylor’s communication with his 
base of supplies at Point Isabel. 

167 


1 68 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

To ascertain the truth concerning this move- 
ment General Taylor sent out a Captain Thornton 
with twenty-five men. This body advanced about 
twenty miles up the stream. While at a farm- 
house surrounded with a chaparral fence, the rec- 
onnoitring party was attacked by several hundred 
Mexican cavalry under General Torrejon. 

“ We must fight for it, boys ! ” shouted Captain 
Thornton, as soon as he realised the danger of the 
position. Come, follow me ! ” And at a single 
bound he cleared the high chaparral and made off 
through the Mexicans like the wind. 

A number of the soldiers tried to follow, but the 
only man to get over the fence was shot down on 
sight. The command of the party now fell to 
Captain Hardee, and he, after some resistance, was 
compelled to surrender, otherwise every soldier of 
the Americans would have been butchered. In 
the meantime. Captain Thornton was followed, 
and, his horse going into a sink-hole, he was 
captured when still five miles from our lines. 

The Mexicans claimed this first brush as a 
grand victory, and a regular celebration followed 
in Mexico City and other large places. Of course 
the Americans were much chagrined, and those 
in camp were more anxious than ever to measure 
strength with their foes. 

In the meantime, another contest of even 
greater importance was taking place elsewhere. 


BOMBARDMENT OF FORT BROWN 1 69 

Point Isabel as a base of supplies for our army 
was now a place of much importance. It was 
guarded by several warships in the harbour and by 
two companies of artillery under the command of 
Major Munroe. There were also some volunteers 
in the place, principally men from Texas and 
Louisiana. 

Among the volunteers was a body of Texan 
Rangers, under the command of Captain S. H. 
Walker. They arrived at Point Isabel just as the 
port was threatened with an attack from the 
advancing arm of the Mexican army. At once 
the Rangers rode out to meet the Mexicans, but 
being met with an overwhelming force, they, after 
a short fight, were compelled to retreat. 

It was now imperatively necessary that General 
Taylor know of the condition of affairs at Point 
Isabel, and as the line of communication was 
closed. Captain Walker volunteered, with six f 
his men, to make a dash for the vicinity of Fort 
Brown. This involved great risks, but the mission 
was accomplished, and the true state of affairs 
explained to General Taylor. 

There now remained but one thing to do, and 
that was to meet the enemy in open battle and 
fight him, no matter what the cost. How large 
the Mexican army was there was no telling, but 
it was certainly larger than that of the United 
States by several thousand. 


170 WITH TAYLOR ON THR RlO GRANDE 

The fort was left in the command of Major 
Jacob Brown, who had under him a regiment of 
infantry and two companies of artillery, about five 
hundred men all told. The balance of the army, 
under the direct command of General Taylor, took 
up the march for Point Isabel. 

Among the soldiers left at the fort were Dan and 
Poke Stover, the latter staying there by special per- 
mission. Ralph, Oliver, George Nolan, and our 
other friends moved with the main army, so for the 
time being the two Radburys were separated. 

“ Take care of yourself, Ralph,” said Dan on 
parting with his brother, “ Cover yourself with 
all the glory you care to, but don’t get shot.” 

“And don’t you get shot,” returned Ralph. 
Then a general hand-shaking followed, and those 
to march on Point Isabel were off. 

The movement to the Point by General Taylor 
was taken by General Arista for a retreat, and a 
proclamation was issued to the Mexicans to that 
effect. Then, as soon as the army was on the 
way, the enemy turned their attention to the 
destruction of Fort Brown, being confident that 
the place could be captured with ease. 

With the departure of General Taylor the work 
on the fort went forward with increased rapidity. 
Each company of soldiers was given something to 
do, and each soldier was assigned to his particular 
place on the parapet in case of attack. 


BOMBARDMENT OF FORT BROWN I /I 

“ Didn’t reckon on fightin’ with a pick an’ 
shovel, did ye ? ” remarked the old frontiersman to 
Dan, when the pair were at work placing sod on a 
high embankment. 

‘‘ Not exactly,” replied Dan. But as it’s a 
part of my duty I sha’n’t complain. Poke. Do 
you think they’ll attack us soon ? ” 

“ More’n likely, now. that Old Rough and Ready 
is away. I calkerlate they think they’ll have an 
easy time with us, too.” 

“ What do you think ? ” 

“ I think it will depend altogether on our sol- 
diers. If they fight as they should, reckon we can 
hold our own.” 

“I trust it isn’t another Alamo, Poke.” And 
Dan could not suppress a shudder at the remem- 
brance of that terrible massacre, where every one 
in the mission had been butchered. r 

‘‘We mustn’t let it be another Alamo, Dan, If 
I’ve got to fall I intend to fall fighting.” 

So the talk ran on, but it was not allowed to 
interfere with the work, which went on night and 
day. There were also drills, and a double guard 
was kept the whole twenty-four hours of the day 
and night. 

General Taylor had marched away on the ist 
day of May, 1846. On this day and the next the 
fort was not molested, but on the morning of the 
3d the Mexicans opened with a battery of seven 


1/2 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

guns, and shot and shell were hurled over and 
around the stronghold in all directions. 

“We are in for it now! ” cried Dan, as he and 
Poke watched the various effects of the shots 
which came near. Of course the soldiers in the 
fort could do but little. The artillery opened, 
however, with vigour, not alone on the Mexican 
battery, but also on Matam^oras. So true was the 
aim of the Americans that in twenty minutes after 
the firing began one of the Mexican guns was 
struck by a ball and knocked off its carriage, 
severely wounding those who had been manning 
the piece. 

At this time the “curtain,” as it was called, to 
the flanks of the north and east bastions of the 
fort was not completed, and men were sent out in 
the midst of the firing to go on with this necessary 
bit of labour. The rising parapet was a dangerous 
spot, and Poke warned Dan to be careful about 
exposing himself, and the young soldier heeded his 
advice all he could. A little while later a cannon- 
ball came booming toward the parapet. 

“ Down I ” shrieked Poke to Dan, and both fell 
flat. The cannon-ball struck a sergeant of the 
regulars in the head. 

“ Sergeant Weigert is dead ! ” was the cry, and 
several rushed forward to pick up the body. The 
dead man was carried to the hospital tent, located 
on the south side of the fort enclosure. Here he 


BOMBARDMENT OF FORT BROWN 1 73 

was being placed on a cot when a shell burst 
through the roof of the tent, tearing it to pieces, 
and killing several who lay within wounded. 

Dan was among the number detailed to help 
erect a new hospital tent, and the sufferings of 
those who had been hurt was horrible to contem- 
plate. In the meantime the bombardment kept 
on, but no further damage was done, and at last 
the firing ceased. Comparatively speaking, but 
little damage had been done on either side, yet 
the Mexicans bombastically hailed it as another 
substantial victory. 

The bombardment was distinctly heard by the 
soldiers under General Taylor, and the commander 
became at once anxious to learn the particulars of 
what was occurring. Accordingly he sent back 
Captain May with a hundred men, and Captain 
Walker with ten of his Rangers, to learn the 
news. ^ ^ 

The party got as close as possible 1 the fort, 
and then Captain Walker, with a picked., escort, 
moved cautiously to the very wall ^ of the forf 
itself. The captain was recognised and helped 
across a deep ditch on a ladder. When received 
by Major Brown he was told that the fort had 
suffered little, and was as able to hold out as be- 
fore. With this news Captain Walker attempted 
to get back to Captain May’s party, but was blocked 
by the Mexicans, and had to wait until the next 


174 TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

night. In the meantime Captain May himself re- 
turned to Point Isabel. Captain Walker followed, 
twenty-four hours later, and his news was re- 
ceived with much satisfaction by the commanding 
general. A list of the killed and wounded had 
been brought along, and Ralph and Oliver were 
glad to learn that Dan and Poke were not men- 
tioned on it. 

Two days after the first attack on the fort, 
large bodies of Mexican soldiers were discovered 
to the north of the defence. Here the enemy had 
erected a battery during the night, and when day- 
light came this battery opened vigorously, and so 
did the batteries on the other side of the Rio 
Grande, so that Fort Brown was subjected to a 
terrific cross-fire from front and rear. 

“ We are going to catch it now ! ” cried Dan, as 
he took his place at the parapet. They mean 
business.” 

“ Well, we mean business, too,” answered Poke, 
who was not far off. “ We didn’t come down on 
the Rio Grande to play.” 

The battle of artillery was in full progress when 
suddenly a body of Mexicans, numbering at least 
two thousand, appeared on the vast plain to the 
rear of the fort. This was accepted as a challenge 
by Uncle Sam’s troops, and several companies 
issued from the fort to meet them. But the Mexi- 
cans did not dare to charge, and presently with- 


BOMBAJ^DMEJ^T OF FORT BROWN I 75 

drew, having no desire to become acquainted with 
the Yankees’ cannon at closer range. They fell 
back to the spot where General Taylor had had 
his headquarters, and manned the ditches he had 
dug for its defence. 

The night to follow was an anxious one to those 
in the fort. Many of the soldiers were wounded, 
and among them Poke, who had received an ugly 
scratch on the left shoulder. Ammunition was 
far from plentiful, and the gunners were cautioned 
to make every shot tell. In the meantime sleep 
was out of the question, and every soldier remained 
at his post. 

In the morning the bombardment began again 
at daybreak, and soon shot and shell burst in and 
around the fort with increased fury, smashing 
things generally, and setting fire to several tents 
and sheds. As before, the infantry could do but 
little, for the Mexicans kept their distance, yet 
Dan and the others were busy caring for the hurt 
ones, and putting out the conflagrations. 

At last the guns in the fort ceased to reply to 
those from without, for the gunners were ordered 
to keep the remaining ammunition until an assault 
should be made. The Mexicans now surrounded 
the enclosure on all sides, and as the American 
guns stopped they felt sure that victory was close 
at hand. 

If we could only go out and engage them ! ” 


1/6 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

said more than one of the regulars, but this was 
not to be, as Major Brown had been ordered by 
General Taylor not to make any sally unless as a 
last resort. If too hard pressed he was to fire 
an eighteen-pounder as a certain signal, and this 
eighteen-pounder was soon after fired. 

The day brought forth the mortal wounding of 
Major Brown, which cast a deep gloom over those 
under this gallant soldier. The command now 
devolved upon Captain Hawkins, and to him Gen- 
eral Arista sent a communication asking him to 
surrender, and stating that all prisoners would be 
treated well. This the captain declined, and the 
bombardment went on once more, far into the 
night, the shrieking shells making darkness more 
than hideous. 

The morning came with added gloom to the 
Americans, who were worn out by watching and 
by dodging the shots and shells which had all but 
wrecked the large fort. Nearly every man had 
suffered, either from the shots direct, or from 
the flying sand and splinters. Yet on the face 
of each was a grim determination to stick to the 
post until the end. A few times during that day 
the bombardment ceased, but then it burst out 
with renewed vigour. Then came the sixth day of 
the attack, and again the cannon belched forth 
at sunrise, as though they knew not the meaning 
of a let-up. 


BOMBARDMEN 7 ' OF FORT BROWN 1 77 


“ Something has got to give way soon,” said 
Poke, to Dan. “ They mean to wear us out if 
they can.” To this Dan did not answer, but he, 
too, wondered how that awful bombardment would 
end. 


'3 


CHAPTER XXL 


BATTLE OF PALO ALTO 

General Taylor had received the word sent 
to him by Major Brown, through Captain Walker, 
but word was also brought to him, later, of the 
heavy firing in the direction of the fort, and he 
again became anxious concerning the welfare of 
that garrison. 

On the evening of the yth of May he left Point 
Isabel, taking with him the larger part of his com- 
mand, and also a train of two hundred and fifty 
wagons and carts, and started back for P'ort 
Brown. The soldiers numbered about three thou- 
sand, and attached to his artillery were ten yokes of 
oxen, drawing siege carriages, carrying two eight- 
een-pounders ! Of cavalry there were less than 
three hundred. 

The army made but eight miles that night, but 
it had gotten a good start, and at dawn of the day 
following it moved on once more, and did not halt 
until about midday. 

“The Mexicans are at hand!” was the sudden 
cry, which ran from company to company, and it 
178 


BATTLE OF PALO ALTO 1 79 

was true, the enemy having been discovered in con- 
siderable force a long distance ahead. At first it 
was thought they were in line for battle, but this 
was an error, and they did not form for the fight 
until the great plain known as Palo Alto was 
reached, — a level stretch of prairie backed up by 
tall timber, which had given to the spot its name. 

“ My, what a sight ! ” 

It was Ralph who uttered the words as his 
company came out upon the level prairie, and he 
viewed the scene before him. There, as on a vast 
carpet, was the Mexican army, drawn up in battle 
array, over a mile long. Cavalry, artillery, and 
infantry stood side by side, with banners glittering 
brightly in the sunshine, and with bugles blowing 
in defiance. It was truly a scene for the eye 
of a painter. 

And now orders came thick and fast from 
General Taylor and his aids. The right wing, 
under Colonel Twiggs, was composed of the P'ifth 
Infantry, Major Ringgold’s artillery, the Third and 
Fourth Infantry, two eighteen-pounders, and some 
detached .regiments. The left wing, under com- 
mand of -Lieut.-Colonel Belknap, was composed of 
some artillery under Lieut.-Colonel Childs, Dun- 
can’s Light Artillery, and the- Eighth Infantry. 
Near the centre were the dragoons, under Captains 
May and Ker, the latter having the wagon-train 
under his special protection. 


l80 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

The battle now to take place was one not to be 
easily forgotten, especially in these days, when 
hand-to-hand conflicts are speedily becoming a 
thing of the past. On this great plain there 
could be no hiding, no dodging, hardly a manoeu- 
vring for a better position. The fight was to be 
like the fights of old, and blows were to be given 
and taken at close range. 

While the armies were preparing for the on- 
slaught a lieutenant of the Americans was seen to 
ride rapidly to the front, and then from one end of 
the Mexican line to the other, with almost the 
speed of the wind. This was Lieutenant Blake 
of the Topographical Engineers. The Mexicans 
tried to catch him, but failed, and in a very few 
minutes he had supplied General Taylor with a 
fairly accurate account of the number of the 
enemy, and how they were located. 

That’s what I call nerve,” said Oliver, when 
it was learned what the engineer had accom- 
plished. “ Wonder what those greasers think of 
that > ” 

Any reply that was forthcoming was drowned 
out by the sudden booming of a battery on the 
right of the Mexican line, and ball and grape-shot 
were hurled over the heads of Uncle Sam’s sol- 
diers, as they advanced in dead silence through 
the thick prairie grass. Almost instantly the 
other pieces of the enemy took up the chorus,” 


BATTLE OF PALO ALTO l8l 

and the noise became deafening, and huge clouds 
of smoke began to roll over the battle-field. 

When less than seven hundred yards inter- 
vened between the two armies the Americans 
came to a halt. Then our eighteen - pounders 
boomed forth, and shortly afterward Ringgold’s 
Battery swept into the centre of the open prairie, 
along with Duncan’s Light Artillery, and a rapid 
fire began, which soon tore great gaps in the 
enemy’s ranks. 

For two hours the field-pieces on both sides 
kept up their thunderous din, and the prairie was 
torn up as by ploughs run mad. As the smoke 
grew thicker the Mexican cavalry prepared to 
make a charge. Fifteen hundred men came riding 
forth, and yelling and cheering bore down upon the 
Fifth Infantry, which had been formed to receive 
them. The first fire of our infantry brought many 
down, but the rest came on, and soon a terrific 
hand-to-hand struggle was on. Then more of the 
American troops came forward to the repulse, and 
the battle waged more furiously than ever. 

Forward ! ” It was a cry to advance from the 
captain of the company to which Ralph and Oliver 
were attached, and in a minute more the two 
young soldiers, side by side, were moving over 
the deep prairie grass at a double-quick. 

<‘Down with the greasers!” was the cry. 

Hurrah for Uncle Sam ! ” And on went the 


1 82 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

company, through a cloud of cannon smoke. 
Then of a sudden came the command to halt 
and fire. 

Crack ! crack ! crack ! spoke up the guns, and 
then and there Ralph and Oliver fired their first 
shots of that war which was to bring them so 
many perils in the near future. It must be con- 
fessed that Oliver was both pale and nervous. 
Ralph had seen a battle before and was more 
contained. 

Soon the cracking of guns and the roaring of 
cannon was incessant, and but little could be seen 
because of the heavy clouds of smoke sweeping 
over the prairie in all directions. Prairie grass 
fires were by no means wanting, and soon those 
around the wagon-train had their hands full try- 
ing to keep the supplies from being burnt up. 

Presently the battle-ground was shifted, and now 
the artillery played again the more important part. 
The eighteen-pounders rushed onward and occu- 
pied the very ground which the Mexican cannon 
had covered two hours before, the ox-teams puff- 
ing and blowing as though doing a most laborious 
work on a farm. 

The Fifth Regiment advanced to the extreme 
right of the newly formed line, and once again the 
crack of musketry sounded out, from one end of 
the battle-field to the other. It was now growing 
late and the Mexicans tried frantically to regain 


BATTLE OF PALO ALTO 1 83 

the little ground they had lost. But it could not 
be done. 

Ringgold’s Battery had thus far done noble 
work and was working harder than ever, when 
Major Ringgold was shot in the thigh, dying 
shortly afterward. He was a well-known and 
well-beloved soldier, and his death cast a momen- 
tary gloom over his command. 

In the meantime Duncan’s Battery was by no 
means idle. From one end of the battle-field it 
dashed suddenly, through the heavy smoke, to the 
other end, and then upon the very head of the 
Mexican infantry moving to a new position to 
the strains of a fine military band. Quickly get- 
ting into position, the battery let drive a hail of 
canister and shell. The first discharge struck the 
band, cutting nearly all the musicians to pieces ! 
The Mexicans rallied and continued to come for- 
ward, but again the battery went at them, and at 
last they were forced to retreat to the chaparral 
behind the battle-field. 

“ What a fearful noise ! ” exclaimed Oliver, 
while loading his gun. I never heard such a 
racket in my life.” 

‘‘ I reckon we’ll get used to it,” answered 
Ralph. 

Again the company moved forward, and now 
the young soldiers found themselves in the very 
thickest of the battle. All around them the 


1 84 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

soldiers were dropping. But they stood their 
ground and fired whenever ordered to do so. 

“ It can’t last much longer — the sun is go- 
ing down,” said Ralph, presently. “ Look ! the 
greasers are going back!” he added. 

“ I see they are,” answered Oliver. But they 
have not stopped firing.” 

This was true, and presently, through a cloud 
of smoke, they saw a Mexican battery starting to 
pour a last lot of shot in their direction. Again 
the young soldiers pushed forward, but were soon 
ordered to halt. 

“ It’s pretty close — ” began Oliver, when boom I 
one of the enemy’s cannon spoke up. The ball 
was coming their way, and Ralph felt the wind as 
it rushed past him. Then he turned to where 
Oliver had been standing, and he was horrified 
to see his chum go down and lie in the grass like 
one dead. 


CHAPTER XXII. 


FIGHTING AT RESACA DE LA PALMA 

‘‘ Oliver ! ” 

The cry came straight from Ralph’s heart, as, 
throwing down his gun, he rushed over to his 
chum and raised him up. He could not make 
out where Oliver had been hit, but that he was 
injured was certain, for his face was deadly white, 
his eyes closed, and his heart had almost ceased 
to beat. 

“ Knocked out, eh ? ” came from a soldier stand- 
ing by. ‘‘Too bad ! He looked like a clever chap, 
too ! ” 

“He was my closest friend ! ” returned Ralph. 
“ Oliver, can’t you speak to me ? ” he went on, 
earnestly. 

But Oliver never answered and Ralph grew 
frantic. He turned to his superior. “ Captain, 
may I carry him to the rear ? ” 

“Yes; the fight is over,” was the welcome 
answer, and while the Mexican battery was 
slowly retreating into the chaparral, and the sun 
was sinking over the mountains far to the west- 
185 


1 86 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

ward, Ralph took Oliver back to where a surgeon 
might give him the necessary attention. 

“ He isn’t wounded,” said the surgeon, after a 
hasty examination. “ He must have dropped from 
exhaustion, but — ” 

“ Isn’t wounded V ejaculated Ralph. “I thought 
a cannon-ball hit him ! ” 

A cannon-ball ? ” 

“Yes, doctor. You see one flew by us and he 
went down — ” 

“Ah! that’s the trouble, young man. Poor 
fellow, I trust he gets over it.” 

“ But what is the trouble } ” 

“ The cannon-ball took his breath away, it 
passed so close to his mouth. See, his nose is 
beginning to bleed, and that’s not a bad sign. 
He’ll be all right, unless he happened to have 
very weak lungs.” 

“ No, he was rather strong.” 

“ Then I guess he’ll come around before a great 
while.” 

Inside of half an hour the battle-field grew dark 
and the Americans rested where they had fought, 
the infantry sleeping on their arms and the artil- 
lery between the wheels of their pieces. ( It had 
been a hard battle and most of the soldiers slept 
the sleep of the overtired, — and probably the 
Mexicans did the same. The loss to Uncle Sam’s 
troops in killed and wounded was about fifty, the 


AT TESACA BE LA PALMA 1 8 / 

loss to the Mexicans was two hundred killed and 
twice as many wounded and missing, certainly a 
remarkable showing in our favour. 

For the greater part of the night, Ralph watched 
over Oliver, having obtained special permission to 
remain with his friend. It was two hours after 
having fallen before the young soldier opened his 
eyes, gave a gasp, and tried to sit up. 

“ Oh, Oliver, I’m glad to see this ! ” cried 
Ralph. 

Oliver tried to speak, but the effort only ended 
in a violent cough, and Ralph hastened to make 
him remain quiet. 

Don’t talk,” said Ralph. It will only hurt 
you if you do. Do you know what happened } 
A cannon-ball came close to your mouth and took 
the wind out of your lungs. If your lungs hadn’t 
been strong, the surgeon says you might have had 
a hemorrhage that would kill you. You must 
keep quiet and I’ll take care of you. Do you 
want a drink of water.? If you do, nod your 
head.” 

Oliver nodded, and Ralph procured the freshest 
water he could find and gave it to him. The 
hurt youth drank eagerly, and presently began to 
breathe more naturally. 

‘‘ The cannon-ball came pretty close to both of 
us,” went on Ralph. It wounded two men in the 
rear, Dawson and Hickey, and killed a horse be- 


1 88 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

longing to Lieutenant Rose. So you see we can 
be thankful that we escaped as we did. My, but 
it was a hot fight, wasn’t it 1 The Mexicans aren’t 
far away and I shouldn’t wonder if the fight goes 
on again to-morrow.” 

After the other wounded had been cared for, 
Oliver was carried to the hospital camp and placed 
on a cot, and here he fell asleep. 

“ He’ll be all right in a few days,” said one of 
the doctors, and assured of this, Ralph, at three 
o’clock in the morning, stole back to his company, 
pitched himself upon the prairie grass, and was 
soon as sound in slumber as anybody. 

The camp, if such the bivouac on the battle- 
field can be termed, was astir early, and as usual 
the superior officers held a council of war. Some 
of the conservative ones wished to delay another 
encounter, fearing the Mexican command had been 
reinforced during the night. But General Taylor 
would not listen to this. 

“ Delays are dangerous,” he said. ‘‘ Go to your 
respective commands ; we move forward in thirty 
minutes.” And the others, knowing he meant 
just what he said, hurried forth to take charge of 
their troops and guns. 

During the night General Arista had slightly 
shifted his position from the plain called Palo Alto 
to a ravine lined with palm-trees, and consequently 
called the Resaca de la Palma, or Ravine of 


AT RESACA DE LA PALMA 189 

Palms, a resaca being a ravine or gully. On 
every side were palms and mesquite bushes, with 
prickly-pears in abundance. 

The Mexican movement had been advantageous, 
for they now held the ravine and the dense chapar- 
ral close by, and to reach this spot in a direct line 
the Americans would have to expose theinselves 
over a stretch of prairie half a mile wide. Across 
the Resaca de la Palma there lay a smaller ravine, 
and here was planted a strong Mexican battery to 
sweep any advance that might be contemplated in 
that direction. 

General Taylor was undismayed, as we have 
seen, and now he went forward with a confidence 
that was almost startling. He had sent many of 
his wounded back to Point Isabel, leaving only a 
few, including Oliver, with the wagon-train. This 
train was parked, as it is sometimes called, on the 
battle-field of Palo Alto, and with the wagons the 
commander left his eighteen-pounders and their ox- 
teams and also two ten-pounders. Then with only 
about two thousand men he set out to defeat Arista 
and save the garrison at Fort Brown, which was 
still being vigorously bombarded. 

Having reached the woods in front of the ravine. 
General Taylor sent forward a party to examine 
the enemy’s position. A masked battery was 
discovered, and - several regiments of infantry, 
under Lieutenant Ridgeley, were ordered for- 


I go WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

ward, to bring on an engagement, other troops 
going to the left, under Captain McCall. 

With his company Ralph charged into the ravine, 
and in a few minutes was in the midst of a battle 
the like of which he had scarcely anticipated. 
Shot and canister flew over the soldiers’ heads, 
while here and there a shell burst in their midst. 
Then, as the two armies drew closer, hand-to-hand 
conflicts became numerous - and the constantly 
click-clacking of sword to sword and bayonet to 
bayonet was heard, punctuated constantly by the 
cracking of pistols and the booming of cannon. 
Soon the ravine was filled with smoke and the 
shrieks of the wounded, and still the battle raged 
on, as if it would never come to an end. 

It must be confessed that Ralph was much 
excited. Yet he managed, young as he was, to 
keep his wits about him, and he fired with good 
effect. As he was leaping over a pond at the 
bottom of the ravine, he saw a Mexican raise his 
musket and take full aim at his captain. As 
quickly as he could he aimed at the Mexican, and 
both firearms cracked simultaneously. The Ameri- 
can captain was slightly wounded in the side, the 
Mexican fell with a bullet through his thigh. 
Thus the tide of battle went on. Ralph was 
struck on the shoulder, but never knew it until a 
fellow soldier told him the blood was coming 
through his uniform. 


AT TESACA DE LA PALMA 191 

“ Blood ? ” he queried, and put his hand up. 
Then he felt of the wound. It was not much 
more than a scratch. 

‘‘I’ll be thankful if I don’t get worse,” he said, 
grimly, and plunged on toward a hill around the 
end of the ravine. 

The Fourth Infantry had waded through one of 
the ponds of the ravine, which was two hundred 
feet wide, and captured a gun which had been 
doing the Mexicans a great service. Now General 
Taylor called Captain May, of the dragoons, to him. 

“ Can you take the batteries yonder ” he asked, 
anxiously. 

“ I will do it, sir,” was^ the answer, from this 
daring soldier, and he hurried forward to his men. 

“ Men, follow me,” he shouted. “ We must 
take yonder battery ! General Taylor’s eyes are 
on us. Come ! ” And the dragoons did come, 
pell-mell, and with such vigour that the Mexican 
gunners rallied in vain against them. In this 
charge. General La Vega was captured. The 
Americans tried to keep the guns, but General 
Arista sent reinforcements to the battery and 
it was retaken. Then our soldiers charged again, 
aided by the Fifth Infantry, and at last the battery 
was driven from its strong position. 

In the meantime there was other fighting along 
the ravine and behind it. The Mexicans tried in 
vain to form into a solid body to withstand the 


192 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

advance of the Americans, who were fighting as 
never before. But General Taylor’s army could 
not be withstood, and on it'' rushed, scattering the 
enemy like chaff before the wind. 

At last the Mexicans began to retreat, at first 
in small companies and then by regiments, and in 
all directions, so that the withdrawal from the 
battle-field became little less than a panic. At 
this a mighty roar went up from the troops of 
Uncle Sam : 

The day is ours ! The Mexicans are running ! 
Hurrah for the stars and stripes ! ” And the 
band coming up, struck up ‘‘Yankee Doodle” 
in a way that made every heart bound with joy. 
Soon the Americans were in the very heart of 
Arista’s late camp, and here they found every- 
thing as the Mexicans had left it, — camp furni- 
ture, trunks, their tents and extra weapons, and 
even General Arista’s private papers and maps, 
along with some money which had been brought 
forward for the purpose of paying off the soldiers. 
The Mexicans had not dreamed of such an utter 
rout, and had fled in a dismay that was little short 
of terror. 

This battle of Resaca de la Palma was of great 
importance to our country, for it freed the soil of 
Texas for ever from the invader, and assured to us 
the safety of the besieged garrison at Fort Brown. 
The loss to the Americans was 125 killed and 


AT RES AC A DE LA PALMA 


93 


wounded, the loss to the Mexicans was almost a 
thousand. The battle-field was a terrible spot 
after the carnage, and the Americans alone 
were left to bury the dead and c^re for the 
wounded. Quite a few prisoners were taken, 
some being sent back to Point Isabel and others 
being kept at Fort Brown. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 


HANK STIGER COMES TO GRIEF 

The day is won ! The fort is saved ! ” 

What a ringing shout Dan let out when this 
was an assured fact. For hours the suspense had 
been terrible. The Mexicans had been pouring 
in shot and shell, and the garrison could do but 
little in return. Once in awhile the old eighteen- 
pounder was fired, to let General Taylor know 
that all was still well with the soldiers, although 
their gallant leader, Major Brown, was dead. All 
could hear the booming of the batteries at Resaca 
de la Palma quite plainly, for the distance was but 
four miles. Then of a sudden some Mexican in- 
fantry burst into view, followed by some cavalry, 
and all rushing for the river as though the demon 
of Death were after them, and the garrison knew 
that the day was won. The shouting was terrific, 
and one officer ran up on the parapet, followed by 
another, and then the soldiers came up, and there 
ensued a veritable jubilee. 

“The ferry ! Shoot the Mexicans down before 
they can get across ! ” was the next cry from 
194 


HANK S TIGER COMES TO GRIEF 1 95 

those in the fort, and as rapidly as possible the 
old eighteen-pounder was trained on the upper 
ferry, and a shower of grape-shot was hurled into 
the fleeing column just as some were getting on 
the boats. The havoc was great, and some Mex- 
icans threw down their arms and began to swim 
while others sought the chaparral for protection. 

General Taylor did not have enough men with 
him to guard the whole river front, and as night 
drew on the Mexicans took advantage of the dark- 
ness and retired as speedily as possible to Mata- 
moras in various ways. In the meantime, the 
church bells of the city, which had been ringing 
victoriously earlier in the day, becariie silent, for 
all the inhabitants of the place knew that the day 
was lost to the Mexican Republic. 

Dan and Ralph met on the battle-field on the 
day following the victory of the ravine, both being 
out in parties sent forth to bring in the wounded 
and assist at the burial of the dead. 

The greeting was a warm one and each was 
glad to learn that the other was not seriously 
wounded. 

“We had a hot time of it at the fort,” remarked 
Dan. “ But I reckon you had an even hotter time 
here and at Palo Alto.” 

“Well, we did have a hot time,” answered 
Ralph, modestly, and then went into some of 
the details. Of course Dan was sorry to hear 


196 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

Oliver v^as laid up, but glad to know it was not 
serious. 

“ The Mexicans have left Texan soil, and I 
doubt if they ever come over here again,” said 
the elder Radbury. 

The caring for the dead and wounded was not a 
pleasant task, and the brothers were glad when it 
was over. With a number of others they were 
sent in the chaparral back of the Resaca de la 
Palma to hunt for such American soldiers as had 
not yet been brought to light. 

They were picking their way among a number 
of prickly-pears when, on reaching a turn around a 
clump of mesquite bushes, they came upon several 
tattered camp-followers, — fellows who follow 
every army in order to pick up anything that 
may be found lying loose. 

“The rascals!” muttered the officer in com- 
mand of the party. “ I declare I never see such 
fellows but I want to shoot them down on sight.” 

The camp-followers were moving in the same 
direction as the soldiers, so they did not at once 
discover the latter. They had spotted two bodies 
lying near, — that of a United States regular and 
that of a Mexican regular, and rushing forward, 
they commenced to go through the pockets of the 
dead men’s uniforms. 

“ Stop 1 ” roared the officer. “ Let up, or, by 
Caesar, I’ll order my men to fire on you ! ” 


HANK S TIGER COMES TO GRIEF 1 97 

The camp-followers were startled and imme- 
diately leaped up. As they did so both Dan 
and Ralph made a discovery, and cried out in 
amazement : 

“ Hank Stiger ! ” 

‘‘Do you know one of these wretches ” ques- 
tioned the officer in charge. 

“ We do, only too well,” answered Dan. “That 
man’s name is Hank Stiger. He is a half-breed 
from Gonzales, and he once tried to blow up my 
father’s log cabin. His reputation is thoroughly 
bad.” 

The camp-followers were surrounded. One 
was a big brute of a fellow, and he said he had a 
right to be where he was. 

“ I’m lookin’ fer my brother, pard,” he said, in 
an off-handed way to the officer. “ No harm in 
thet, is there } ” 

“ No, no harm in that,” was the stern answer. 
“ Is this your brother ^ ” and the officer in charge 
pointed to the dead American. 

Yes,” was the hesitating answer. 

“ What is your name ? ” 

“ Now, see here, leftenant — ” 

“ Stop ! I asked you your name.” 

“ But I say, left — ” 

“Your name, or I’ll put you under arrest 
instantly.” 

“ Darry Gow.” 


198 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

‘‘ What is your brother’s name ? ” 

George Gow.” 

“ And this is your brother ? ” 

“That’s what I said.” 

“ You seem to be quick at lying. This man 
is a private of the Third Infantry, and his name 
is not Gow nor anything like it.” 

“ Wall, er — my eyesight is poor, and per- 
haps — ” • 

“ Stop. Private Radbury, step forward and ex- 
amine this man’s pockets.” 

The officer looked at Dan, and the young soldier 
moved forward to do as requested. The big camp- 
follower tried to beg off, but without avail. From 
his pockets were taken three silver watches, a gold 
timepiece, several rings, and some other jewelry, 
and over forty dollars in bills and silver. 

“ All my own,” insisted Darry Gow. “ Swapped 
’em in fer terbacker. The boys is terribly hard 
up fer terbacker.” 

“You wretch, do you suppose I am going to 
believe such a story } ” answered the officer. 
“ Consider yourself under arrest. If you try 
to get away my men shall shoot you down.” 

After this the others of the party, three in 
number, were searched, and from each of them 
was taken about the same amount of stuff as 
taken from the leader. When thus exposed. 
Hank Stiger knew not what to say. 


HANK STIGER COMES TO GRIEF 199 

“I — dat is — Gow give me dis las’ night to 
save fer him,” stammered the half-breed. I don’t 
know nuthin’ of where he got the things.” 

“I reckon it’s a case of the pot calling the 
kettle black,” interrupted the officer. “ I place 
every one of you under arrest. You can tell your 
stories when you are safe in the prison at Point 
Isabel.” 

What ! you going to send us to prison ! ” 
cried Hank Stiger. 

‘‘Yes, and perhaps we’ll shoot you — if we can 
prove you killed any of the men from whom these 
things were stolen,” added the officer. 

At once a chorus of howls went up and all of 
the party did their best to beg off, but the officer 
was obdurate, and at last told them to be silent. 
The prisoners were placed in care of double the 
number of soldiers and marched off. 

In the party to take the prisoners away was 
Dan, and on the way Stiger upbraided the elder 
Radbury for giving him such a black name. 

“ I shall not forget that ! ” he hissed into the 
young soldier’s ear. “Some day I may get a 
chance to pay you back ! ” 

“I’ll be on my guard, Stiger,’^ was the answer. 
“ And you take care, too. I sha’n’t let you off as 
easily as my father did years ago, remember that.” 
At this the half-breed scowled viciously and said 


no more. 


200 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

These were not the only camp-followers brought 
in. Some villainous Mexicans were captured and 
also placed under arrest. Two of the number had 
murdered several American soldiers who were 
wounded and helpless to resist them, and these 
rascals were put in close confinement. They tried, 
later on, to escape, and both were shot down. 

For several days Ralph and Dan were kept at 
the work of caring for the dead, and Poke Stover 
came out to join them and the others. Buzzards 
and jackals were numerous, and often they could 
not resist the temptation to shoot down the birds 
or beasts which were feasting on the exposed 
bodies. 

‘‘This is the worst side of the war,” was 
Ralph’s comment. “ I never imagined anything 
so awful.” 

“ Oh, war ain’t all glory, thet’s certain,” 
answered Poke. “Ye have got ter take hard 
knocks, an’ wuss. How a man kin become a 
regular soldier an’ make it his life’s business gits 
me — I couldn’t do it, nohow,” and the Radburys 
agreed with the old frontiersman. 

Both the Mexican and the American armies had 
made a number of prisoners, and after the excite- 
ment along the Rio Grande had cooled down a 
little General Arista proposed an . exchange of 
these men. General Taylor consented, and on 
the day following fifty-three Americans were 


HANJC S TIGER COMES TO GRIEF 


201 


brought over to the plain near Fort Brown, under 
a strong Mexican guard. Then the Mexican pris- 
oners were marched forth, and the “ trading,” as 
it was called, began, a captain for a captain, a 
sergeant for a sergeant, and so on, until all of the 
Americans were released. A good number of 
Mexicans still remained to our credit, and these 
begged so hard to be let go, that General Taylor 
finally consented, taking General Arista’s receipt 
for them, so that if any Americans were ever 
taken by the Mexicans later on we could call for 
them up to the limit of that receipt. By this 
means the Mexicans got back into their own 
country, and we were saved the trouble and ex- 
pense of guarding and feeding them. Among our 
prisoners were General Vega and Colonel Martinez. 
They were offered their parole, but declined it, 
saying their country would make them fight any- 
how ; so they remained prisoners of war. 

It was now necessary that General Taylor pay 
Point Isabel a visit, and this was done as speedily 
as possible. When returning in the direction of 
P'ort Brown he was met by a despatch bearer, who 
told him that fresh Mexican troops had arrived at 
Matamoras and that the Mexicans were fortifying 
the town of Barita, near the mouth of the Rio 
Grande. 

“Well, they won’t hold Barita long,” said Gen- 
eral Taylor, and at once returned to Point Isabel. 


202 mrll TAYLOR ON THE E/0 GRANDE 

Here he found some reinforcements had just 
arrived, and immediately despatched troops to the 
town. At the same time, Commodore Connor, of 
the navy, sailed for the mouth of the Rio Grande 
with three ships. But the Mexicans heard of the 
approach of the Americans and the soldiers fled, 
leaving the town to be taken without the firing of 
a shot. 


CHAPTER XXIV. 


CAPTURED ON THE RIO GRANDE 

“Tell you what, boys, the weather is getting 
mighty warm.” 

It was Poke Stover who spoke. He was stand- 
ing over a bucket of water, in which he had just 
been washing his face and hands. Half an hour 
before he had come in from some work which was 
still in progress on Fort Brown. 

“Yes; but it’s not half as warm as it was at 
Palo Alto and the fight in the ravine,” answered 
Ralph, with a laugh. 

“ Or as it was here when the bombardment was 
on,” put in Dan. “ Oh, but we caught it those 
days, I can tell you that.” 

“ I wonder what our next move will be,” went on 
Ralph. “ I don’t reckon we’ll stay here, do you ? ” 

“We’ll cross the river afore long, I calkerlate,” 
came from the old frontiersman. “General Tay- 
lor ain’t the man to stand still an’ rest himself on 
one or two victories.” 

All had enjoyed several days of comparative 
rest, and each felt the better for it. Oliver was 
203 


204 with TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

still in the hospital, but was doing nicely, and with 
him was George Nolan, who had received an ugly 
bayonet thrust through the calf of his left leg. 

‘‘We bagged Hank Stiger finely,” went on 
Dan. “I only wish that rascal Juan Badillo had 
been in the crowd, and we had caught him, too.” 

“I wonder if we’ll ever see the Giant again,” 
mused Ralph. 

“ A bad penny always turns up again, they say, 
Ralph. For my part, I never want to set eyes on 
him again.” 

“Nor I, for the matter of that.” 

So the talk ran on, until it was time to go 
to drill, when the young soldiers leaped up from 
where they were resting in the grass just outside 
of the fort. The drill had an added interest to 
Dan, for he was now an acting sergeant of the 
command to which he was attached. 

As soon as General Taylor came back to Fort 
Brown, he began preparations to take Matamoras, 
where he knew were stored large quantities of war 
material, as well as other public property of value. 
The preparations took several days, but on the 
17th of May all was in readiness, the batteries 
being trained on the city, and the boats being 
close at hand to convey the soldiers over the 
swollen stream as rapidly as possible. 

“ Now for more fighting ! ” cried Ralph, when 
the call to arms came, but before the soldiers 


CAPTURED ON THE RIO GRANDE 20 5 

could be moved, or the batteries had started their 
bombardment, a messenger came over from the 
Mexican headquarters, asking that Old Rough and 
Ready grant an armistice, pending the settlement 
of the question by the two governments. 

I will grant no armistice,” said General Taylor, 
and then mentioned how he had asked for an 
armistice some time before and been refused. “ I 
am receiving large reinforcements,” he added, 
and shall take the city without delay. If 
General Arista will allow us to come in peace- 
ably, he can withdraw with his troops, but he 
must leave all public property behind.” Our 
commander then went on to speak about how the 
Mexicans had promised to conduct the war accord- 
ing to the rules of civilised nations, and how they 
had allowed their soldiers to mutilate the Amer- 
icans and rob them. To this the messenger. 
General Reguena, replied that this dastardly work 
had been done by the rancheros and the women 
who followed the army for gain ! 

Seeing he could do nothing with General Tay- 
lor, the Mexican messenger withdrew, promising 
a reply by three o’clock. That hour came and 
went, and the messenger did not reappear. At 
once General Taylor got his army into readiness 
to move upon the city, and the soldiers were 
marched some up and some down the river bank 
before dark. 


206 with TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

The commands to which the Radburys and 
Poke Stover were attached were now together, 
and the brothers hurried up the river bank to- 
gether and slept on the same patch of prairie 
grass, under the twinkling stars. 

“The river is running pretty swiftly,” remarked 
Dan, when they arose early on the morning fol- 
lowing. “ I don’t believe we are going to have 
an easy time of it getting across.” 

“There don’t seem to be enough boats,” said 
Ralph. 

“The cavalry and officers on horseback will 
swim their bosses over,” came from Poke. 

“ Can they do it, Poke } ” 

“ They can if the bosses are trained to the 
water. If not, it may go hard with some of ’em.” 

It was not long before the troops began to go 
over. It was slow work, and Ralph and the 
others had to wait at a bend for the best part of 
an hour. 

As he and Dan were standing on a fallen tree 
close to the water’s edge, they heard a wild shout 
from up the river, and saw an old soldier standing 
on the bank waving his arms frantically. 

“ What’s the matter ” cried Dan. 

“ Captain Bardock is overboard ! The current 
turned his horse upside down ! ” 

“Then the captain will have to swim for it,” 
said Dan. 


CAPTURED ON THE RIO GRANDE 20 / 

Don’t know as he can swim, and, besides, he 
may have his foot caught in the stirrup,” answered 
the old soldier. “ He’s coming your way ; watch 
for him.” 

At once Ralph and Dan ran out as far as the 
fallen tree permitted. 

At first they could see little but the swiftly 
flowing river with its bits of floating driftwood, 
then Ralph caught sight of a horse over on his 
side and a man’s foot sticking up near the ani- 
mal’s neck. 

There he is ! ” 

‘‘ Where queried Dan. 

There, behind yonder log. I’m afraid he’s as 
good as drowned ! ” 

Not if I can help him,” returned Dan, and in 
a twinkle he threw off his hat and coat and was 
plunging in the stream. 

Near the tree the water was shallow, and he 
waded out fifty feet before he came to the edge 
of the bank. Then he struck out boldly for the 
horse and its unfortunate rider. 

Beast and officer were struggling madly to save 
themselves, and as Dan drew closer he had to take 
care that the horse did not strike him down and 
kill him. There was an eddy at this point, and for 
a moment the progress down the river was stayed. 

At last Dan was close enough to see the lower 
portion of the officer’s body, and he made a clutch 


208 with TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

at it. Then he saw that the officer’s coat was 
caught fast to the saddle, and he began to try to 
loosen it. 

This was no light task and twice he had to let 
go, for fear the animal would cut him in the head 
with his flying hoofs. 

“ Take care, Dan, or you’ll be killed ! ” shouted 
Ralph. “ Can I do anything ? ” 

‘‘Yes, get a rope if you can,” was the answer, 
and Ralph ran off to do as requested. 

Again Dan went to work, and just as the horse 
began a final struggle he wrenched the unfortu- 
nate officer free from the saddle and caught him 
in his arms. 

The moment the officer felt the proximity of 
another human being he clutched out wildly for 
safety and grabbed Dan by the throat. This was 
a new peril for the young soldier, and with all his 
remaining power he had to force the man away 
from him. 

“Take it easy,” he said, when he could speak. 
“Take it easy and I will save you.” 

“I — I — can’t — swim ! ” was the gasping an- 
swer. “I — I am afraid we’ll — both — go — 
down ! ” 

By this time the pair had drifted a hundred 
feet below the log and were coming to a point 
where the river grew broader. Supporting the 
officer on one shoulder, Dan tried to strike out for 


CAPTURED ON- THE RIO GRANDE 20g 

the bank. But he was now weak, and the effort 
was of small avail. 

In the meantime Ralph had run up to the near- 
est supply-wagon, and after some difficulty pro- 
cured a rope. He came back to the bank only 
to find Dan and the officer far out of his reach 
down the stream. He ran along the water’s 
edge, and several others joined in the' chase. 

Poor Dan was all but exhausted when he and 
his burden bumped up against a mass of drift- 
wood, for the river was full of the stuff. In the 
driftwood were several small trees which had be- 
come entangled together. He clutched one of 
the trees and drew himself and his burden up. As 
he' did this, he seemed to collapse, and for several 
minutes he knew not where he was or what was 
happening. 

When Dan came fully to his senses he found 
himself and the officer far out in the stream. 
He tried to stand up. on the drifting trees, but this 
caused the improvised raft to wobble, and he sat 
down again, having no desire to reenter the water. 
He looked at the officer, but the latter did not 
move. 

Perhaps he is dead,” thought Dan, and bent 
over the man, who was apparently a young fellow 
like himself. But the officer was alive, although 
insensible. 

On and on drifted the floating trees until with 


210 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

a bump they landed against some other driftwood, 
close to the Mexican shore. Then Dan heard a 
shouting in Spanish, and soon after saw two Mexi- 
can soldiers aiming their guns at him. 

‘‘Don’t shoot! ” he called, in Spanish. “Don’t 
shoot!” And then the guns were gradually 
lowered. 

The driftwood struck the Mexican bank, and 
without ceremony Dan was ordered to come 
ashore. Although in the hands of the enemy, 
he did not hesitate, preferring solid ground to 
the uncertain river. He picked up the officer 
in his arms and struggled through the mud to 
a safe place, behind a fringe of bushes, which hid 
the Mexican soldiers from the American side of 
the stream. 

“Do you surrender.!^” demanded one of the 
soldiers. 

“ I Suppose I’ll have to,” answered Dan, grimly. 
There seemed nothing else to do. They were 
two to one, and fully armed, while he had no 
weapon of any kind. 

The Mexican soldiers were by no means bad 
fellows, and one of them readily assisted Dan in 
caring for Captain Bardock. He noted that the 
unconscious man was an officer, and at once called 
another guard, who took the news to headquarters. 

Ten minutes later an ambulance belonging to 
the Mexican army drove up and Captain Bardock 





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CAPTURED ON THE RIO GRANDE 


21 1 


was placed in it, after being examined, to make 
certain that he was still alive. Then Dan was 
told to enter also. 

“ If he is your friend you can work over him 
and save him,” said one of the guards. 

“He is a stranger to me, but I will do what I 
can for him,” answered Dan, and kept his word. 
As he worked the ambulance was driven rapidly 
through Matamoras and out of town, but this Dan 
did not notice until some time afterward. 


CHAPTER XXV. 


SURRENDER OF MATAMORAS 

What’s the matter, Ralph ? ” demanded Poke 
Stover, as he came hurrying to the bank of the 
Rio Grande, having heard that something was 
wrong. 

“Do you see that driftwood, over toward the 
other shore ? ” 

“ I do.” 

“Well, Dan is in that — along with an officer 
he tried to save from drowning.” 

“ Dan ! ” 

“ Yes.” 

“Is he alive ? ” 

“ Oh, yes, but I don’t know if the officer is.” 

“ But how did he get thar, lad ? I thought he 
was waiting with the rest of you,” went on the old 
frontiersman, with deep concern. 

“ He was waiting. But the officer’s horse turned 
over in the strong current and he was in danger of 
drowning. Dan went to the rescue, and that is 
the result,” answered Ralph, bitterly. 

By this time the driftwood was. nearly out of 
212 


SURRENDER OF MATAMORAS 


213 


sight around a bend. Ralph ran down the bank, 
and Poke and some others came after him. But 
the overhanging trees shut off the view, and no- 
body on the American side saw what became of 
Dan or Captain Bardock. 

It must be confessed that this incident cast a 
gloom, not alone over Ralph and Poke Stover, but 
also over many others, who were their friends and 
the friends of Captain Bardock, who belonged to 
the cavalry. 

“ We ought to go over after ’em,” said Poke, 
but this could not be, as the troops had to march 
farther up the stream before crossing. 

The soldiers were anxious to begin the attack 
on Matamoras, but General Taylor had learned a 
useful lesson while fighting the Indians in the 
West and in Florida, and he took good care that he 
should not be caught in a trap. 

While arranging to enter the city from above 
and below on the river. Old Rough and Ready also 
sent forward some officers for a “parley,” as it 
was termed. Some Mexicans answered the white 
flag borne by Lieutenant Brittin, and he then told 
the Mexicans that Captain Bliss wished to talk 
to the prefect, the official civic representative of 
Matamoras. At first there was some delay, but 
in the end the American messenger was con- 
ducted to the prefect’s office, located on the Grand 
Plaza of the town. 


214 WITH TAYLOR OH THE RIO GRANDE 

“ And what is it you wish ? ” demanded the 
prefect, trying to put on a bold front. 

‘‘General Taylor demands the immediate sur- 
render of this place,” was the answer. “And he 
wishes it understood that all public stores shall 
remain as they are.” 

The prefect demurred and then asked what 
would be done with private property. 

“ Private property will be respected, the citizens 
will be protected by our soldiery, and we will not 
interfere with your religion. If you do not give 
up. General Taylor is resolved to take the city, 
even at the point of the sword.” 

The prefect begged for time to consider the 
question, but this could not be granted, for Gen- 
eral Taylor was already suspicious. At last the 
prefect said that General Taylor could march in 
and take possession as soon as he pleased ! 

This communication was carried to our com- 
mander as speedily as possible. But in the mean- 
time the soldiers had begun to cross the river at 
several points. Scouts were sent out in advance, 
so that there should be no surprise on General 
Arista’s part, as previously suggested. 

The first party to go over were ten selected 
scouts. They were quickly followed by companies 
of the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Infantry, followed 
soon after by Ker’s dragoons. The artillery was 
then taken apart and carried over in pieces, a 


SURRENDER OF MA TAMORAS 2 I 5 

laborious work, for the pieces were heavy, espe- 
cially those of the eighteen-pounders. 

Captain Bliss had scarcely brought the prefect’s 
message to General Taylor when a shout of joy 
went up, for Captain Ker had raised on the walls 
of Fort Parades the glorious stars and stripes. 

Hurrah, the flag waves over Matamoras ! ” 
was the cry. “ Hurrah for Uncle Sam ! ” 

And then the cheering became general from one 
end of the line to the other. General Taylor had 
not only driven the enemy from the United States, 
but had raised our flag in Mexican territory. 

It did not take Old Rough and Ready long to 
ascertain the truth of what he had already sus- 
pected, namely, that the visit of General Reguena 
had been made only to gain time, so that General 
Arista might make good his departure from Mata- 
moras. The Mexican general had left Matamoras 
the afternoon before, taking with him about four 
thousand soldiers and several pieces of artillery. 
Other artillery was buried in wells and cisterns. A 
good part of the public stores had either been des- 
troyed or thrown into the river. General Arista 
left behind him many of his sick and wounded, but 
took with him all of the prisoners he had man- 
aged to obtain since the day of the exchange. 

It was a night of rejoicing for the majority of 
our soldiers, but Ralph and his friends were gloomy 
enough. The troops were stationed above and 


2 i 6 with TAYLOT on the RIO GRANDE 

below the city, only a few being placed within as 
a guard. Ralph went to his superior and asked 
to be allowed to go on a hunt for Dan. 

“You can do nothing to-night,” was the answer. 
“You can go in the morning, unless we march 
after General Arista.” 

In the morning, as there was no movement con- 
templated by the majority of the troops, Ralph 
was allowed to go on the hunt for his brother. 
He took Poke with him, and the pair at once pro- 
ceeded to the spot where they had last seen the 
driftwood. 

The spot was all but deserted, and at first they 
were afraid they would gain no information. But 
at last an old Mexican woman came out of a 
nearby cabin and asked them, in her own peculiar 
Spanish, what they wished. 

“ Looking for an American who came ashore 
on some driftwood,” said Poke, in equally bad 
Spanish. “ Did you see him ? Maybe there was 
an officer with him.” 

At this the Mexican woman nodded and said 
she would tell them for a piece of silver. She 
was little more than a hag, and Ralph was afraid 
she would lie to them even if she was paid. 

“Tell her to describe Dan,” said he, and Poke 
did so. This she did and they gave her an Ameri- 
can quarter dollar. This loosened her tongue, and 
she related how Dan and Captain Bardock had 


SURRENDER OF MAT AMOR AS 21 / 

been carried off in an ambulance by General 
Arista’s men. 

“ Where did they take them to ? ” asked Ralph, 
through the old frontiersman. 

“ To the army.” 

Not to a hospital in Matamoras ? ” 

“No. The soldiers said the hospitals were only 
for their own wounded. They said the Americanos 
were prisoners.” 

“ Was the young soldier well ? ” 

“Fairly well. He could stand. The capitan 
^was like dead though,” answered the woman. 
“Which way did they drive .^” 

The woman pointed out the road. This was 
the limit of her knowledge, and she immediately 
begged for another silver piece. But they would 
not give her more, and she began to abuse them 
in the vilest manner possible. Then Poke threat- 
ened to throw her into the river, and she at once 
ran off and disappeared from their view. 

“ It’s a bad business,” said the frontiersman, 
when they were left alone. “ I am afraid going 
after Arista’s army will be foolhardy.” 

“ But think of Dan a prisoner,” cried the younger 
Radbury. “ How he will suffer ! ” 

“ I reckon that’s true, Ralph. But keep a stiff 
upper lip, it may all come right in the end.” 

“They will abuse him, I feel sure of it. See 
how they abused the wounded on the battle-field.” 


2 i 8 with TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

“Those weren’t the reg’lar Mexican soldiers, 
lad — they were — were vampires, thet’s wot.” 

On the way back to camp they fell in with some 
cavalry sent out after Arista’s rear-guard. To the 
commander they told their story, and he readily 
consented to take them along. 

The party, which was a mounted one, numbered 
about two hundred and fifty men, commanded by 
Lieutenant-Colonel Garland. There were a few 
extra horses to be had, and soon Ralph and Poke 
were mounted. 

The way was over the prairie grass to a rocky 
plateau some distance south of the river. Here 
the general appearance of the country was not 
unlike that met with about the Rio Grande, be- 
tween Corpus Christi and Point Isabel. 

All day long the horsemen sped onward, but with- 
out catching sight of the rear-guard of the enemy. 
At night they rested at a ranch located on the bank 
of a small resaca, and here learned that the Mexi- 
can army was but one day’s march ahead of them. 

“We’ll catch up with something to-morrow!” 
said the American commander. 

“ I hope we catch up with that ambulance 
containing my brother,” murmured Ralph. 

The next day the trail became harder to follow. 
It was fiercely hot, and they had to rest every few 
miles. Once the party became lost in the chap- 
arral where the thorns were more than thick. 


SURRENDER OF MATAMORAS 219 

Here some of the horses balked and had to be led 
around by hand. It was a trying time, and several 
of the cavalrymen were taken sick and had to be 
sent back to Matamoras. 

Early the next morning some of the enemy were 
sighted, near one of the hills to the southwestward, 
and the Americans bore down upon them with all 
possible speed, opening fire when still at long range. 
The Mexicans numbered probably fifty and had 
with them a large wagon, loaded with clothing and 
other stores. They were taken completely by 
surprise and offered but small resistance. 

“ Surrender ! ” cried the Americans, and the 
Mexican in charge of the wagon at once held up 
a bit of white cloth. Some of the soldiers fired 
wounding two of our cavalry. Then the Ameri- 
cans let drive and several Mexicans were killed. 

This ended the fight, and twenty-two 'Mexicans 
were taken prisoners, the others fleeing for their 
lives on their ponies, which were swift and well 
trained to that country. 

From one of the captured Mexicans it was 
learned that no other troops were within ten or 
fifteen miles, and that the road ahead was even 
more barren than that already passed. Accordingly 
Lieutenant- Colonel Garland resolved to return to 
Matamoras with his capture. This was done, and 
the hope of hearing anything more of Dan was, 
for the time being, abandoned. 


CHAPTER XXVI. 


AN OLD ENEMY TURNS UP 

After the downfall of Matamoras the Army of 
Occupation took a well-needed rest. The hot 
weather was hard upon soldiers and horses alike, 
and the hospitals were filled with the sick and the 
wounded. 

Down on the Rio Grande the sights to be seen 
every day were truly horrible. The water had 
been high but was now going down, and as it 
receded it brought to view many bodies of the 
slain that lay in the lower branches of the over- 
hanging trees. Bodies floated by all day, followed 
by thousand of fish, big and little. 

In the city the prefect was very arrogant, and 
would do little to help the Americans. Colonel 
Twiggs was appointed military governor of the 
city, and he at once gave the prefect such a lecture 
that the dignitary trembled in his boots, so it 
was said. He promised to do better, and through 
his aid some of the public stores were recovered. 
Still the actions of the prefect were very dicta- 
torial, and at last he was told to leave, and he did, 


220 


AN OLD ENEMY TURNS UP 


221 


to join Arista’s army, vowing vengeance on the 
Americans who had deprived him of such a lucra- 
tive position. 

The prefect had never been a popular man with 
the common citizens of Matamoras, and they hailed 
his going with secret delight. Some soon came 
forward with information and by this means still 
more of the public stores and treasure were found, 
much of it secreted close around the Grand Plaza. 

As soon as he returned to the city, Ralph made 
the rounds of all the hospitals and sick camps, but 
could learn nothing of Dan. Consequently he was 
forced to believe that his brother had really been 
carried off to Monterey or some other Mexican 
stronghold. 

*‘Well, thet’s better nor to be shot down and 
chucked into the river,” said Poke, soothingly. 

If he’s alive he has the chance to slip ’em, sooner 
or later.” And with this questionable consolation 
the younger Radbury had to be content. 

As the days went by, and the army in and 
around Matamoras did little or nothing, Ralph 
wrote to his father telling of what had happened, 
and also wrote to Mr. Fielding. The result was 
that both men came down to Matamoras and re- 
mained there for ten days. Oliver had also written 
home, stating he was to rejoin his company, but 
Mr. Fielding wanted to see with his own eyes how 
his son was faring. 


222 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

‘^This news about Dan is bad,” said Amos 
Radbury. “ Even if he is alive I am afraid the 
Mexicans will treat him very harshly.” 

‘‘Just what I imagine,” added Ralph, dolefully. 
“ It’s enough to make one sick at heart to think 
about it. I wish we were to start for Monterey 
to-morrow.” 

“Are they certain General Arista retreated to 
that city ? ” 

“ Pretty certain, yes. If he is not there himself, 
he has left a big part of his army there. I reckon 
they have an idea that Monterey can’t be taken as 
easily as Matamoras was. It is a terrible march 
over the barren plains, and, besides, Monterey is 
right between the mountains.” 

“Yes, I know, Ralph. If the army moved 
to-morrow I would go along, old as I am.” 

“ Can you leave the ranch 

“Yes. Pompey is there, with Kilmer and the 
others.” 

“ Have you been bothered by any outsiders since 
we came away ? ” 

“ No. I once heard that Juan the Giant was 
around, but I never saw him.” 

“You heard about Hank Stiger.^” 

“Yes, and I am glad he is locked up. He is a 
thoroughly bad egg,” concluded Amos Radbury. 

Mr. Radbury remained with Ralph for several 
hours, and then called on Oliver and others that 


AN OLD ENEMY TURNS UP 


223 


he knew well. All were glad to see him, and 
some of the oldest of the Rangers wanted him to 
come and join them. But he shook his head. 

‘‘I fought in 1812, and when our State wanted 
her liberty,” he said. I am getting older, and 
I’ll leave the fighting to the boys.” 

Congress had authorised an army of fifty thou- 
sand men, and these troops were assigned to three 
great divisions, the Army of Occupation, under 
General Taylor, the Army of the Centre, under 
Brigadier-General Wool, and the Army of the 
West, under Col. Stephen W. Kearney, who, soon 
after, was made a brigadier-general. 

As soon as possible the troops under General 
Kearney were ordered to Santa Fe. They were 
to seize New Mexico and then push westward to 
California. This was a most important move- 
ment, and eventually brought to the United States 
the great gold fields of California, not to forget 
the great fruit-bearing regions of to-day. These 
troops travelled the plains of Kansas, Colorado, 
and New Mexico, toiled up and down the gigantic 
mountain ranges, made their way painfully over 
several great deserts of Mexico, and fought battles 
which were among the most important of the war. 

As soon as Matamoras was fully under Ameri- 
can control trade began to pick up, and the horse 
market became of considerable importance, as did 
also the cotton market. Cotton had been sold at a 


224 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

ridiculously high price by the Mexican dealers, and 
now some Yankees saw a chance to do business. 
They sold at a lower rate than the Mexicans, and 
yet at double the price they could get further 
north, and some of these fellows grew wealthy. 

The horse market was always attractive to 
those who had come from the ranches, and when- 
ever a soldier had any time off he would drift in 
that direction. 

One day Ralph had the afternoon to himself 
and took Oliver with him. Oliver was now quite 
himself and almost as eager as Ralph to get after 
the Mexicans who had carried off Dan. 

When the pair got down to the horse market, a 
rather dirty place, surrounded by part of a stone 
wall and several sheds, they found a crowd assem- 
bled, including Mexicans, soldiers, half -naked 
Indians, and people whom it would be difficult to 
classify. Buying and selling were going on 
briskly, and to look at the assemblage it woiTld 
have been hard to believe that the Mexicans and 
the Americans were at war with each other. 

From one spot in the market-place the young 
soldiers drifted to another. Here some ponies, 
mustangs, were on sale, and they stopped to ad- 
mire the little animals. 

“ By ginger ! ” burst out Ralph, sudden'). 

What’s up } ” queried Oliver^ much a^Tonished 
by the unexpected outburst, 


AJV OLD ENEMY TURNS UP 225 

“ Did you see him, Oliver ? ” 

“ See him ? Who ? ” 

“The man standing by yonder shed door. It 
was Juan the Giant ! ” 

“ Oh, Ralph, you must be mistaken.” 

“ No, I wasn’t mistaken — it was the rascal 
beyond a doubt. He saw me just as I saw him, 
too.” 

“ Where did he go } ” 

“ Slipped into the shed.” 

“Then let us go after him.” 

Feeling perfectly safe in that crowd, with at 
least fifty soldiers within calling distance, Ralph 
and Oliver forced their way through the assem- 
blage until they reached the doorway to the 
building. 

The shed was a gloomy affair, twenty feet wide 
by perhaps a hundred feet long, with an addition 
on one side forty feet deep. The place was full 
of dirty and foul-smelling straw and hay, for it had 
not been cleaned since the surrender of the city. 

“ Do you see him .? ” asked Ralph, as he tried 
to pierce the semi-darkness. 

“ I see two men at the other end,” replied 
Oliver. “ I don’t know who they are.” 

They hurried over the dirty hay and straw until 
the opposite end of the shed was gained. Some 
Mexicans rested here, in the shade, smoking ciga- 
rettes. The Mexicans stared at them curiously. 


226 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

“Did a big man just run from here?” ques- 
tioned Ralph. 

At this one after another of the Mexicans 
shrugged his shoulders. None of them could 
understand English, and at last one of them said 
so in Spanish. Then Ralph did his best to speak 
their language. His Spanish was exceedingly 
broken, yet he managed after several efforts to 
make them understand. 

At this one of the Mexicans caught him 
by the shoulder, and pointed to another shed 
some distance away, to the rear of the market- 
place. 

“ The big man has gone there,” he said. 

Waiting to hear no more, Ralph and Oliver left 
the first shed and hurried toward the second. A 
crowd was coming away from the place, along with 
two rancheros who had brought in several horses 
to sell. They looked among the crowd, but could 
see nothing of Juan Badillo. 

“ He is not here,” said Ralph. 

“ Let us search the shed,” answered Oliver, and 
led the way into the structure. It was old and 
ramshackle to the last degree and ready to fall at 
the next heavy storm. 

Like the first structure they had visited, this 
was also dark, and they had to remain for several 
seconds on the threshold until their eyes became 
accustomed to the change. Then they made out 


AJV OLD ENEMY TURNS UP 


227 


a dim form in the centre, near a pile of straw, and 
Ralph ran toward it. 

‘‘Juan Badillo!” he called, sharply. 

It was indeed the giant, and he turned to the 
two young soldiers with a scowling face. 

“ What you want 1 ” he asked, of Ralph. 

“ I want you to come with me,” answered 
Ralph. 

“ Go wid you 1 For what } ” 

“ You know well enough. You escaped me and 
my friends in the mountains last year, but you 
sha’n’t escape me now.” 

“You mak a big mistake. I no escape you — 
I no know you,” returned the giant, with a shrug 
of his shoulders. 


CHAPTER XXVII. 


OLIVER AT THE OLD MILL 

For the moment after Juan the Giant had 
made his assertion that he did not know Ralph, 
the young soldier could do nothing but stare at 
the fellow. 

“ You do not know me } ” he gasped, at last. 

“No, I do not know you,” answered the 
Mexican. 

“That is not true, Juan Badillo. You can’t 
play any such trick on me.” 

“ Ralph, you are not making a mistake, are you } ” 
whispered Oliver. “ Some of these greasers look 
a good deal alike, you know.” 

“ Perhaps, but I know this big rascal well 
enough, and wouldn’t forget him in a hundred 
years. Badillo, your game won’t work. You 
must come with me. If you won’t. I’ll call the 
nearest guard and have you arrested right 
now.” 

The giant scowled more than ever, and looked 
around to see if anybody but the two young sol- 
diers was near. 


228 


OLIVER AT THE OLD MILL 229 

“ I say you mak mistake,” he said, slowly, as if 
thinking what to do next. “ I know de man you 
mean. He is my — my cousin.” 

“ His cousin ! ” repeated Oliver. 

“ Again I say your game won’t work, Badillo. 
You are Juan Badillo, the man sometimes called 
the Giant, and nobody else. You will come with 
me,” returned Ralph, firmly, and now he took a 
tight hold of the Mexican’s arm. 

As quick as a flash Juan the Giant tore himself 
loose. Then, before the young soldier could 
realise what was coming, he was lifted up bodily 
and flung at Oliver, and both of the young soldiers 
went down in a heap on the dirty straw. 

‘‘ Oh, dear ! ” came from Oliver, who was under- 
neath. Get off my head, Ralph ! ” 

‘‘The scoundrel ! ” ejaculated Ralph, as he man- 
aged to scramble up, although not without diffi- 
culty. “ Where did he go to ? ” 

He looked up and down the stable, and then to 
one of the little side windows. At the window 
he caught sight of Badillo’s foot as it was drawn 
through the opening. He Jeaped to the spot, but 
long before he arrived there the Mexican had 
vanished. 

“He has given you the slip, after all,” said 
Oliver. “ Say, but wasn’t that a throw ! ” 

“ He isn’t called the Giant for nothing,” re- 
turned Ralph. “But, just the same, he shall not 


230 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

escape me. Come on ! ” And with a leap he was 
through the window himself. Looking across the 
crowd in the market-place, he had caught sight of a 
Mexican hat towering above those around it, and 
felt the headgear must belong to the giant. 

Oliver followed through the window, and the 
two young soldiers hurried into thre crowd. But 
the people were shifting to make place for a 
ranchero who was going to show what one of his 
horses could do, and in a moment their further 
progress seemed blocked. 

“ Keep back, or the horse will run over you ! ” 
was the cry, in Spanish, and then the steed 
pranced around, and they were glad to get out 
of the way of the ranchero, who was yelling 
wildly and doing all sorts of odd things on horse- 
back, to the delight of the onlookers, who shouted 
“ Bravo ! ” and clapped their hands. 

It was. several minutes before they felt free to 
proceed, and once on the edge of the market-place 
Ralph looked around again for Juan the Giant. 
But he was now nowhere to be seen. 

Confound that rider ! ” ejaculated the younger 
Radbury. “ If it hadn’t been for him I would 
have had that rascal sure.” 

“ Let us continue the hunt, he can’t be far off,” 
returned Oliver. 

They walked around the market-place, and 
looked into all of the sheds and also the near-by 


OLIVER AT THE OLD MILL 23 1 

shops, which were crowded with horse traders. 
During the tour they met several friends, but it 
was a good half-hour before they ran across any- 
body who had seen Badillo, and knew what had 
become of the fellow. 

“Yes, I saw him,” said a Texan they met com- 
ing to the market-place. 

“ Where .? ” 

“ Going down the road to the ferry,” and the 
Texan pointed in the direction. 

“ How long ago was this } ” 

“Not more than five minutes. But Badillo 
looked as if he was in a big hurry, Radbury.” 

“He was in a hurry. Cordon. I am after him. 
He is wanted for horse stealing,” answered 
Ralph, and then set off on a run for the ferry, 
with Oliver beside him. 

In those days the ferry across the river to 
the Point Isabel trail, as it was called, was a 
primitive affair. Two Mexicans had strung a rope 
over the river. They had a flatboat large enough 
to accommodate a dozen people, or several men 
with their horses, and they moved this flatboat 
from one side to the other by hauling the craft 
along the rope by hand. This was slow work, 
and occasionally, when the current was extra 
strong, the boat broke loose and went drifting 
down-stream for a considerable distance. 

It did not take the two young soldiers long 


232 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

to reach the Rio Grande. The river had been 
falling steadily, but the current was still strong. 
As they approached the ferry landing they saw 
the boat out in midstream, loaded with several 
men, and with a horse and half a dozen big Mexi- 
can market-baskets. 

“ I don’t see him — ” began Ralph, when he 
noticed a man crouching down behind the market- 
baskets. “ Yes, there he is ! ” 

Ferry ahoy!” shouted Oliver. Come back 
here I ” 

We want one of your passengers I ” shouted 
Ralph. 

What’s that } ” demanded a guard standing 
near. “ What do you want of him ? ” 

As quickly as he could, Ralph explained. The 
guard scratched his head. 

I don’t know about this,” he mused. “ It 
ain’t no war crime, so to speak. Besides, we’re 
in Mexico, you must remember.” 

^‘Well, you have him brought back, and I’ll 
take care of the rest,” returned Ralph. “ He is 
wanted for half a dozen crimes besides stealing 
those horses.” 

“Then why don’t you have him arrested in 
Texas ? ” 

“ How can I get over ” 

“There is a rowboat, you can use that, I 
calculate.” 


OLIVER AT THE OLD MILL. 233 

By this time the flatboat had almost gained the 
opposite shore. Ralph looked at the rowboat and 
saw the oars resting on the seat. 

“ Will you go ” he asked of his chum. 

‘‘Certainly,” returned Oliver. 

*No more was said, and in a few seconds the 
rowboat was untied and shoved off. Instantly the 
current caught it and turned it down-stream. But 
then the young soldiers took up the oars and 
began to row with all of their strength. They 
were not skilled at this sort of work, yet they 
made fair progress, and came up behind the flat- 
boat less than two minutes after the ferry passen- 
gers had been landed. 

Badillo was making off up the river bank with 
all possible speed, and this was saying a good deal, 
for the fellow was a fast runner. He had spotted 
Ralph and Oliver in the rowboat, and felt that 
Ralph meant to do his utmost to punish him. 

“There he goes! ” cried Oliver. 

“I see him,” came from Ralph. “Quick, or 
he’ll get away from us again I ” 

“ What are you up to } ” asked another guard, 
stationed also at the ferry. 

“ We want to catch that man,” answered Ralph. 
“ He is Badillo, the horse thief.” 

On went the two young soldiers, along the 
river and through some heavy rolling prairie grass. 
Presently they struck a road running past a num- 


234 TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

ber of old-fashioned Mexican dwellings, set in 
gardens of fruit and flowers. They saw that Juan 
the Giant was still running on. 

There were several guards on the river at this 
point, but they were not suspecting anything 
wrong on this warm, lazy day, and did not arouse 
as Badillo slipped past. Then the giant hurried 
on to what had once been a grist-mill on the bank 
of a little stream flowing into the Rio Grande. 
The mill was now abandoned, and its water-wheel 
was fallen to decay, and likewise a large portion 
of its roof. 

Badillo was now tired out with running. He 
had expected the young soldiers to give up the 
chase as soon as the vicinity of Fort Brown was 
passed, and now that they were still after him he 
hardly knew what to do. 

“ I must get the best of them,” he muttered to 
himself, in Spanish, and ran around the old mill. 
On the upper side was a wide open doorway, and 
he slipped through this and made his way over the 
rotten floor of the place to where a ladder connected 
with an upper floor. He mounted the ladder, and 
crouched down on the floor close to the opening. 

Ralph and Oliver thought the man had kept on, 
and when the mill was gained, and they no longer 
saw him on the trail, they were perplexed. 

“He is gone!” burst from Ralph’s lips. “I 
don’t see him anywhere.” 


OLIVER AT THE OLD MILL 


235 


Nor I.” 

“ He was here a moment ago. Do you reckon 
he passed into this tumbled-down place } ” 

“ Perhaps, Ralph.” 

“ Supposing you go in and look around, and Fll 
continue up the trail. If you find him, call to 
me.” 

Oliver was willing, and turned into the mill 
without delay, but being careful not to break his 
neck over the rotten planking lying around. 
Ralph went on, and soon a turn in the trail hid 
him from view. 

Like the cattle-sheds in Matamoras, the old mill 
was a gloomy place, and Oliver could at first see 
little or nothing. He noticed the dilapidated 
flooring, and looking down saw the water which 
had overflown the river bank. The place was 
damp and foul-smelling, and made him shiver in 
spite of himself. 

Presently he moved to the' opposite end of the 
mill and looked around. Nothing was to be seen 
of the Mexican, and he continued his hunt through 
the various rooms of the mill. Then he came 
back and looked at the ladder. 

“ Perhaps he went up-stairs,” he mused. Any- 
way, it won’t do any harm to look around. Ralph 
can’t be so very far off yet.” 

He ascended the ladder and caught hold of the 
flooring above. As he came up, he heard a hasty 


236 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

movement. The next moment Juan the Giant 
had him by the arm. 

“ Silence ! ” hissed the rascal, in Spanish, but 
even as he spoke Oliver let out a shrill cry for 
help. Then the giant caught him by the throat, 
and held him in that vise-like grip until the young 
soldier’s senses forsook him. 


CHAPTER XXVIII. 


AN UNSUCCESSFUL SEARCH 

“ Oliver must have found him ! ” 

So spoke Ralph to himself, as that single shrill 
cry echoed on the evening air. Without delay 
he turned from the trail up the river, and hurried 
back in the direction of the old mill. 

“ Oliver ! Oliver ! Where are you ^ ” he called. 

No answer came back, and at the entrance to 
the building he stopped short. 

‘‘ Oliver, are you inside ” he questioned. 

Again no answer, and now he began to grow 
alarmed. Had any evil befallen his chum } He 
saw how rotten was the flooring, and noted the 
river beneath. Could Oliver have fallen through ? 

‘‘ Oliver, why don’t you answer me ? ” he said, 
and listened with strained ears. Then he caught 
a faint sound overhead. Are you up there ? ” 

The faint sound was repeated, and, more alarmed 
than ever, Ralph began to mount the ladder, think- 
ing his chum must be caught fast. Perhaps a 
beam had fallen on him and was choking him to 
death ! 


237 


238 W/TI/ TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

Juan the Giant was waiting for him. The 
rascal’s success in outwitting Oliver had made 
him bolder, and no sooner did Ralph show his 
head than the Mexican pounced upon him. 

“You will follow me, hey.?” he hissed. “I 
will pay you for dat ! ” and he clutched at Ralph’s 
throat. 

“ Le-let go ! ” gasped the young soldier. “ Let 
go, I say ! ” 

But Badillo would not let go. Instead, he in- 
creased his grip. A fierce hand-to-hand struggle 
ensued, and both rolled over the flooring and 
dangerously close to the opening. Then Badillo 
drew back, and Ralph managed to get a fresh 
breath. Again they went at it, and now the giant 
tried to draw a knife he carried. But before he 
could do so there came a crash, and the flooring 
gave way, and not only Badillo and Ralph, but 
likewise the unconscious Oliver, were pitched to 
the flooring below. Ralph struck on his head and 
shoulder, and, after the first shock, knew no more. 

Oliver was the first of the two young soldiers 
to stir. He came to himself with a start, to find 
his head aching fearfully, and with a pain in the 
side that was new to him. 

“Oh, dear!” he murmured, and sat up in be- 
wilderment. For the moment he could not tell 
where he was, or what had happened. Night had 
come, and all was dark around him. 


AN UNSUCCESSFUL SEARCH 239 

At last he remembered the attack Badillo had 
made upon him. Was he still in the loft of the 
mill } More than likely. But no, he could hear 
the water flowing just beneath him. Therefore, 
he must be on the ground floor. 

“ Reckon he carried me down, or I tumbled 
down,” he mused, and felt around him. His hand 
touched a broken beam and some rotten boards, 
and, feeling further, he caught hold of Ralph’s 
foot. 

He was now more alarmed than ever, thinking 
the foot belonged to Badillo. Had the flooring 
given way and pitched them both down } 

‘‘Badillo!” he called out. And as there was 
no answer, he called again, “ Badillo I ” 

The only answer was a long-drawn sigh. Some- 
thing about the sigh caused Oliver to start. This 
could not be Badillo, after all. He got on his 
hands and knees and felt along the form. 

“ Ralph 1 How in the world did he get here, 
and what brought the flooring down on top of us } ” 

There was no way to answer this question, and 
Oliver wished he had a light. He felt in his 
pockets, and then gave another start. He had 
been robbed ! Everything he possessed had been 
taken from him ! 

“ More of Badillo’s work I ” he told himself. 
“ Well, I reckon we can be thankful that he spared 
our lives — if Ralph is alive.” 


240 V/ITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

Despite the pain he was suffering, Oliver man- 
aged to clear himself of the wreckage, and went 
to his chum’s assistance. He had to lift some of 
the boards from Ralph’s breast. This done, he 
carried his chum into the open and to some heavy 
grass, where the moon and stars might shine down 
on the deathlike face. He noted with satisfaction 
that Ralph breathed with fair regularity. 

ni bathe his face, perhaps that will do some 
good,” he reasoned, and ran down to the water’s 
edge. He had no cup, but in the darkness had 
picked up his hat, and this he filled with water 
and brought it to Ralph. He forced the sufferer 
to drink a little, and then began to bathe him. 

It was half an hour before Ralph stirred, and 
then all he did was to groan. Yet even this made 
Oliver feel easier, for he had been afraid that his 
chum would never regain consciousness. 

As he sat there nursing Ralph, Oliver wondered 
what had become of Juan the Giant. He readily 
saw that Ralph had also been robbed, everything 
of value having been taken. 

The rascal ! he wanted to make a clean sweep 
of it,” muttered Oliver. “ Oh, if only we can get 
our hands on him again one of these days ! I’ll 
not give him another chance to choke me half to 
death ! ” 

An hour passed, and Ralph opened his eyes and 
stared around him. For several minutes he did 


AN UNSUCCESSFUL SEA ECU 24 1 

not speak. Then he muttered the single word, 
Oliver ! ” 

“Yes, Ralph, I am with you, and you are all 
right, said Oliver, soothingly. 

“And Badillo.?” 

“ Badillo is gone — I don’t know where to.” 

“ And where are we .? I thought : the whole 
mill came down on top of me.” 

“ The flooring gave' way and let you and me and 
Badillo down, and both of us were knocked out, I 
reckon.” 

“ And Badillo is gone .? Then he — he wasn’t 
hurt .? ” 

“ I don’t think he was. Any way, he is gone, 
and he took the trouble to rob us both before he 
went,” added Oliver, bitterly, for he had lost a 
ring his mother had given him as a keepsake 
before he went to war. 

“Robbed us, eh .? Then he is certainly gone,” 
and Ralph’s face fell again. 

He was not much hurt, that is, in any particu- 
lar place, but told his chum that he felt as if he 
had been pounded for a week. He did not feel 
able to rise and walk, and both remained where 
they were until daybreak. 

As the sun was coming up they saw an ox cart 
approaching. On the cart sat a Mexican farmer, 
bound for Fort Brown with some vegetables. He 
halted when hailed by them, and asked what was 


242 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

wanted. When told that they were in distress, 
he readily agreed to take them to the fort because 
they were in uniform, and he had no desire to get 
into trouble with the Americans. 

It was after the noon hour when Ralph and 
Oliver found themselves again in Matamoras. As 
they took themselves to their camp, the officer of 
the day came up to them with a severe look on 
his otherwise kindly face. 

‘‘What is the meaning of this.?” he demanded. 
“ I gave you but three hours’ leave of absence 
yesterday.” 

“We were after a thief,” answered Ralph, and 
he and Oliver told the particulars. Luckily the 
officer had heard of Badillo, and he said he would 
drop the charge against them, but that they had 
done wrong to cross the river without special 
permission. 

“ The next time you see him, get a detail to go 
after him,” was the officer’s advice, and to this 
they agreed, glad enough to have no further 
trouble for being away. In those days desertions 
were not uncommon, and those leaving camp with- 
out permission, or remaining away longer than 
their leave of absence called for, were severely 
punished. 

It was fully a week before Ralph felt as good 
as before, and Oliver got over the shock he had 
received. In the meantime Poke Stover heard of 


AN UNSUCCESSFUL SEARCH 243 

the affair, and got permission to make a hunt for 
Juan the Giant. 

Poke went over the Rio Grande, and up to the 
old mill, — which was burnt down two weeks 
later, — and from this point traced Badillo twelve 
miles up the stream, to a ranch called La Rosa. 
Here he learned that Badillo had bought a horse 
and crossed to the Mexican side. The ranchero 
said he had asked the giant whither he was 
bound, and Badillo had said to Monterey, if he 
could make the distance. Whether the man had 
spoken the truth or not he could not tell. 

Poke went over the ford and rode half the way 
to a village called Ponplez, and here learned that 
Badillo had indeed been heading for Monterey, 
which was many miles distant, over a country that 
was almost barren. 

“Ain’t no use o’ followin’ him further,” said 
the old frontiersman to himself. “ He’s a-goin’ 
right into the heart o’ the enemies’ country, an’ 
we’ll have to wait now till Old Rough an’ Ready 
opens up the way for us,” and he turned back. 

On the edge of Ponplez Poke encountered a 
dozen or more Mexicans, horsemen bound west- 
ward. They pretended to be friendly, but after 
he had passed them two of the Mexicans treach- 
erously turned and fired at him. He was unhurt, 
but his horse was so badly wounded that the ani- 
mal pitched headlong. As quickly as he could 


244 TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

the old frontiersman returned the fire, and one 
Mexican was killed on the spot. Then, as the 
others came after him, he took to the hillside, and 
lost himself in the chaparral. He remained in 
hiding until it was dark, and then stole forward 
to the river bank. Half a dozen Mexicans were 
here watching for him, but he passed between two 
of the guards, and dropped into the river up to 
his neck. A floating bush served to conceal him 
from the enemy, and thus he floated down the 
Rio Grande for nearly a mile. Then he swam 
to the American shore and tramped back to Fort 
Brown. 

At the fort the scout’s story was listened to 
with much indignation, and twenty men sallied out 
at daybreak to find the Mexicans. But, though 
the party pushed as far as Ponplez, and two miles 
farther, nothing could be seen of the rascals, 
although the corpse of the man shot dead was 
found by the roadside. This was given decent 
burial, and then the party returned to the fort, 
and Poke went back to his command. 


CHAPTER XXIX. 


IN A MEXICAN PRISON PEN 

And now, while the Army of Occupation under 
General Taylor was resting at Matamoras pre- 
vious to its advance upon the Mexican stronghold 
at Monterey, let us turn to Dan and see how he 
has been faring since he had tried to rescue Cap- 
tain Bardock, and both had been captured by the 
Mexican guard near Matamoras. 

As the reader will remember. Captain Bardock 
was still unconscious when the shore was gained, 
nor did he come to his senses until long after he 
and Dan were placed in the ambulance attached 
to General Arista’s fleeing army. He had been 
so close to death that for a long while Dan hardly 
expected him to revive. 

The ambulance rolled along smoothly, for it 
was following a road directly over the prairies. 
This kept up for hours, until night was at hand. 
Then the ambulance halted, and an officer appeared, 
and with him a private carrying a smoky lantern. 

“ How is de offisair ? ” asked the Mexican, in 
fairly good English. 


245 


246 IVITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

Oh, I’m coming around gradually,” said Cap- 
tain Bardock, who was now sitting up. “ Where 
are you taking me, my friend ? ” 

“ T’ank you, but I am no friend to de Ameri- 
cano,” said the Mexican officer, bluntly. “ Da 
haf made a war which is not just. I used to like 
dem — now I hata dem ! ” 

‘^All right — as you please about that. But 
will you tell me where you are going ? ” 

« We go away, many miles.” 

‘‘Then General Arista is retreating,” went on 
Captain Bardock. 

At this the Mexican officer scowled. He turned 
to the soldier standing by with the lantern and 
spoke in Spanish. The soldier went off, but soon 
returned bringing with him another soldier who 
carried several chains and handcuffs. 

“We are in for it now,” was the American cap- 
tain’s comment. 

“ Are they going to chain us ” asked Dan. 

“ It looks like it.” 

The pair were told to get out of the ambulance, 
and were then handcuffed and chained together. 
At a distance a camp-fire was burning in a deep 
hollow, which was free from water, and to this 
hollow the prisoners were marched. 

“You will sleep there,” said the Mexican officer. 
“ If you try to escape, you will be shot.” 

No more was said and soon the officer went 


IN A MEXICAN PRISON PEN 


247 

away. The prisoners had been given nothing 
to eat and both were hungry. 

If we only had a bit of bread — ” began Dan, 
when a soldier pointed his bayonet at the young 
man and told him to be quiet or he would run him 
through. After that nothing more was said, and 
soon the captain and Dan fell into a troubled 
slumber. 

Marching in the extreme heat of the day was 
out of the question, and so the Mexican column 
moved half an hour before sunrise. Captain Bar- 
dock and Dan were placed in the midst of ten 
other prisoners chained in pairs. Before starting 
they were given some strong, rank coffee and 
some freshly- made tortillas^ corn cakes baked upon 
the ashes of the camp-fire. At that time about 
half the work the Mexican, population did was to 
work over the corn, crushing out the farina be- 
tween a wooden roller and a big flat rock, in order 
that tortillas and other bread-like stuffs might 
be made. 

At first the march was not difficult, but as the 
soldiers advanced with their prisoners the green 
prairies were left behind and the trail became 
stony and desert-like, with hollows of water few 
and far between. The only thing that grew 
was the Spanish bayonet, the prickly-pear, and 
the mesquite bushes, with an occasional cactus. 
Further to the south west ward the cacti became 


248 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

more numerous, as well as the thorns, so that often 
they had to make long detours. 

Day after day the march went on until Dan’s 
heart sank within him. He was now many miles 
away from his friends, and he was satisfied that 
if Matamoras was taken General Taylor was not 
now pursuing General Arista. 

It looks as if we were doomed,” he said to 
Captain Bardock, who remained his constant com- 
panion, although they were no longer chained 
together. “To escape now would be out of the 
question. Even if we got away we could do 
nothing unless we had strong horses and plenty 
of provisions.” 

“ I imagine you are right there,” said the cap- 
tain. “Certainly, we would have a hard time of 
it. I have never been in Mexico before and know 
nothing of the roads or trails.” 

“ Nor I, but I do know that this ground be- 
tween Matamoras and Monterey is considered 
very hard to travel.” 

That night they had a terrible lesson taught 
to them. One of the prisoners attempted to 
escape in the darkness. He was followed by half 
a dozen soldiers on horseback. The prisoner hid 
in the chaparral, where he became lost. Nothing 
was heard of him for two days, when he was 
brought into camp more dead than alive. He had 
been without food or drink nearly all of the time. 


IN A MEXICAN EE /SON PEN 


249 


and the sun had so affected his head that he was 
clearly out of his mind. At sunset, in the pres- 
ence of the other prisoners, he was shot down, 
and the other prisoners were called upon to bury 
him, otherwise he would have been left where he 
fell. 

“ This is awful,” said Dan, after the burial was 
over. It isn’t human.” 

“ A good deal about war isn’t human, Radbury,” 
answered the captain. We must take things as 
they come, and make the best of it.” 

The distance from Matamoras to Monterey is 
over two hundred miles, and by the route the 
army took it was a good two hundred and forty 
miles. Some days but little progress was made, 
and intense heat was often followed by disagree- 
able “northers ” that seemed to pierce Dan’s very 
backbone. Yet when it rained, the water was 
gratefully received. 

At last they gained the vicinity of Monterey, 
which is located in a valley surrounded by very 
high mountains. Here the desert was left behind 
and all became luxuriantly tropical. The change 
was a great relief. 

The prisoners did their best to learn how the 
war was going, but were told nothing. One night 
they were in camp, when, in the utter darkness, 
for a storm was coming up, they were told to get 
up and march. 


2 50 WIl'H TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

The journey was up the mountainside and. over 
roads which were more than rough, and lasted 
until nearly morning. It rained in torrents, and 
when at last something of a fort was reached and 
they were ordered to enter, each of the prisoners 
was wet to the skin. They were marched into a 
gloomy apartment which was little better than 
a large dungeon cell, and here they were left to 
themselves, an iron gate being closed and locked 
on them. 

“ Humph ! I reckon we have landed at last,” 
grumbled Dan. “ And soaking wet, and in the 
dark, too ! ” 

The prisoners in , the dungeon numbered seven, 
and all were in the same condition, wet and hungry. 
One had the consumption and coughed continually. 

“I would just as soon they would shoot me,” 
said this man, whose name was Fordey. I can’t 
last long at this rate.” 

It was not until late in the afternoon that the 
prisoners were given anything to eat, and then it 
was musty bread which was scarcely fit to touch. 
In his despair Fordey threw his hard half loaf in 
the prison-keeper’s face. For this he was knocked 
down and dragged out, and that was the last any of 
the others heard or saw of the unfortunate soldier. 

“ I reckon this retreat to Monterey didn’t agree 
with the Mexicans,” said Dan. All of them look 
as sour as can be.” 


IN A MEXICAN PRISON PEN 


251 


The party of six were kept in the dungeon for 
a week, and were then removed to a prison yard 
in the city. This yard was little better than a 
cattle-pen, with walls of logs sixteen feet high. 
In one corner was an open shed, where they might 
sleep or stay when it rained. In the centre of the 
yard was a Mexican brick oven, and here they had 
to do their own cooking of whatever was supplied 
to them. But this the prisoners did not mind, as 
it helped to pass the time. 

On more than one occasion Dan wondered how 
Ralph and the others were faring, and tried to 
send them word of his whereabouts, but the letters 
failed to reach their destination. Captain Bardock 
asked that he and his companions be exchanged, 
but this request was not granted. 

Thus the days dragged by, one very much like 
another, until the confinement became almost 
maddening. Some of the prisoners declared their 
intention to escape at the first opportunity, but 
such an opportunity seemed never to come. 

“They watch us wuss nor a cat watches a 
mouse,” declared one old soldier named Hemp- 
ley. “They never let up a minit, night nor day. 
I’ve stayed awake an’ watched, an’ I know.” 

“They must think us of value,” grumbled Dan. 
“ I don’t believe our men would watch greasers so.” 

As the weeks went by the prisoners tried to 
learn something of the war, but got little satisfac- 


252 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

tion. Once a guard told them that General Tay- 
lor had been badly whipped in a battle, but he 
piled it on so thick, as the saying is, that nobody 
believed him. 

“ He’s a bag of wind,” grunted Hempley. Ef 
thar was a battle the greasers got the wust o’ it 
an’ don’t you fergit it, nuther ! ” And the others 
were inclined to agree with him. 


CHAPTER XXX. 


MARCHING INTO MEXICO 

For Ralph and his friends there was a long 
wait at Matamoras, after the taking of that city 
by General Taylor, yet the entire army was by no 
means idle. 

While General Kearney was pushing westward 
to California, small detachments of General Tay- 
lor’s command went out and captured Camargo, 
Mier, Reynoso, and other points of more or less 
importance. In each of these cases the Mexicans 
fell back before a regular engagement could be 
drawn on. 

Camargo is up the Rio Grande, over a hundred 
miles from Matamoras, and not quite that distance 
from Monterey, which lies to the southwest. At 
this time it was a place of small consequence, but 
it has since grown to some importance. 

During the summer of 1 847, there were several 
important political changes in the Mexican Repub- 
lic. Paredes had been overthrown, and General 
Santa Anna was again called to the front, in spite 
of the defeat he had suffered in Texas, at the 
253 


254 TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

hands of General Sam Houston. It was thought 
by all people in the United States that he would 
stand for peace, but as soon as he was sure of his 
footing this wily soldier prepared to conduct the 
war on a larger scale than ever. 

It was now certain that the Mexicans intended 
to make their fight at or near Monterey, and in 
August General Taylor began his forward move- 
ments once more. The heat was tremendous, and 
it was decided that only a portion of the troops 
should go by land to Camargo, the balance, and all 
the supplies, going by water up the river. The 
troops on land marched only by night, and rested 
during the main part of the day. 

Luckily for Ralph and Oliver, they went to 
Camargo by boat, — the conveyance being a 
wheezy little steamer that had all she could do to 
make progress against the strong current. Poke 
went overland, and the young soldiers did not see 
him again for some time, nor did they see George 
Nolan, who had gone home because of his wound. 

The voyage to Camargo was not without inter- 
est, and there was one incident happened which 
Ralph and Oliver never forgot, and which made 
them think more of their beloved commander than 
ever. 

The steamer carried not alone the soldiers, but 
also a number of sick men, sutlers, army con- 
tractors, and newspaper correspondents. When 


MARCHING INTO MEXICO 


255 


General Taylor came on board, he found that the 
best of the staterooms had been taken by the 
outsiders, and that the sick men had been left on 
the deck ! 

“This won’t do, gentlemen,” he said, sternly. 
“You will have to vacate, and let the wounded 
have the berths,” and amid some grumbling the 
outsiders did so. 

“ I don’t think Old Rough and Ready will give 
up his room,” said one of the sutlers. “ He’ll 
turn us out, but he’ll take care of himself, never 
fear.” 

But the sutler was mistaken. When some 
officers went to look for General Taylor the next 
morning, they found that he had placed a wounded 
soldier in his private stateroom. They continued 
their hunt, and at last found the commander on 
the deck, rolled in a blanket, and sleeping as 
peacefully as a child ! It is no wonder the sol- 
diers would do anything for such a leader. 

After a brief rest at Camargo, it was ordered 
that the army advance to Ceralvo, a little town at 
the foot of the Sierra- Madre Mountains, over a 
hundred miles from Camargo. The road was 
rough and barren, and during the trip but little 
rain fell, leaving the army suffering for water. 

General Taylor divided his army into three 
divisions. General Worth led the advance on the 
last of August ; Colonel Twiggs followed on Sep- 


256 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

tember 5th ; and General Quitman brought up the 
rear on September 1 7th. 

After a march which to the young soldiers 
seemed to have no end, Ceralvo was reached, and 
here they rested for several days beside a cooling 
stream which came tumbling down from the lofty 
mountains in crystal clearness. All around were 
empty farmhouses, showing that the inhabitants 
had fled before the coming of the Americans. 
Here and there rancheros and guerillas were 
found, stealing what they could lay their hands on, 
and lying most outrageously to clear themselves 
when caught. 

At last the march was resumed, through a 
mountain gap, where the cliffs on either side 
were hundreds and hundreds of feet high. The 
scenery was grand, and the young soldiers could 
not but contemplate it with wonder as they 
advanced. 

Beats anything I ever saw ! ” declared Oliver. 

What a wealth of mineral must be here ! ” 

“Yes, Oliver, but it will be a big task to get it 
out, I reckon,” replied Ralph. “ And the average 
Mexican is too lazy to shovel dirt, even to look for 
gold and silver.” 

The mountain passed, they came out on the 
swiftly flowing San Juan River, and after another 
halt of a day, passed along to tnc village San 
Francisco. They were now wi’ hin ten miles of 


MARCHING INTO MEXICO 257 

Monterey, and everybody felt that a big battle 
was close at hand. 

“And we’ll have ter fight, no mistake about 
thet ! ” declared Poke Stover. “ They have had 
plenty o’ time to git a large army together, an’ 
Monterey is a reg’lar fortress in itself, so Pve 
been told.” 

Monterey lay in the midst of the mountains, 
some of which rose four thousand feet above the 
town, P'rom a gorge to the west flowed the San 
Juan, and along this ran the road to Saltillo, 
another important city. Monterey boasted of ten 
thousand inhabitants, but thousands of other people 
had flocked hither for protection. 

The pompous General Arista, after the fall of 
Matamoras, had been succeeded by General Am- 
pudia, and the latter commander had gathered in 
and around Monterey an army of ten thousand, to 
combat which General Taylor had less than seven 
thousand men. 

The defences of the town were very complete. 
Not far from the road running to Ceralvo was the 
citadel, two hundred feet square, and with walls 
built of solid rock, twelve feet thick. At each 
angle were openings for seven guns, and below alb 
was a wide ditch filled with water. 

On the east side of the city was a fort com- 
manding four guns, and back of this two redoubts, 
with a long line of fortification running southward. 


258 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

On the northwest of the city was Independence 
Hill, with two forts, and opposite this, on the 
other side of the river, was Federation Hill, also 
fortified. 

The fortifications did not end here. All the 
roads and trails were barricaded with bags and 
stones, and each street of the city possessed 
several pieces of artillery. 

General Taylor felt that he had a large piece of 
work cut out for him, yet he did not falter. His 
first movement was to send out the Texan Ran- 
gers, accompanied by the topographical engineers, 
to obtain correct information concerning the city’s 
defences and, if possible, the disposal of the Mexi- 
can troops. With this party went Poke Stover. 

That night the information came in, and without 
delay General Worth was ordered to take a posi- 
tion on the extreme right, with eighteen hundred 
men. This position lay on the Saltillo road, and 
Worth was expected to cut off any retreat con- 
templated by the Mexicans, and also, if he could, 
to reduce the fortifications in the vicinity. He 
moved as far as he was able that day, and en- 
camped on the hillside during the night. His 
fires were discovered by the Mexicans, who imme- 
diately sent a shower of grape-shot in that direc- 
tion. Then the fires were put out, and the 
command took up a new position under cover 
of darkness. 


MARCHING INTO MEXICO 259 

In the morning General Worth continued his 
movement toward the Saltillo road, and soon came 
upon a body of Mexican lancers. On these some 
Texan Rangers charged with fury, and soon a 
smart skirmish ensued. The Mexican commander 
was killed, and so were many of his men. The 
enemy tried to drive the Americans from their 
position, but failed, and in the end had to retreat 
to the chaparral, leaving their killed and wounded 
behind them. 

In the meantime the main body of General 
Taylor’s army was resting on the plain before 
the city. A heavy mist hung over the mountains, 
and the soldiers moved about silently, feeling that 
the next twenty-four hours might have a terrible 
tale to tell. It was felt that the Mexicans would 
resist to the utmost. 


CHAPTER XXXL 


THE ‘STORMING OF MONTEREY 

“ Company attention ! Forward, march' ! ” 

It was a command given early in the morning, 
and soon the command to which Ralph and Oliver 
belonged were advancing over the plain before 
Monterey. 

From a distance came a booming of cannon, 
followed by the constant cracking of infantry. 
Over the mountains still hung the mist, but the 
sun was struggling through, and soon the mist 
rolled away. 

The young soldiers had passed a restless night, 
and Ralph had been on guard duty for several 
hours. But they had had a good breakfast and 
felt in fighting humour. 

The advance was a silent one, and at a distance 
they could see various commands hurrying in as 
many different directions. General Twigg’s divi- 
sion was near the fort on the Ceralvo road, the 
cavalry, under Woods and May, was riding swiftly 
to reinforce General Worth, and following them 
came the Rangers from Texas ; General Quitman, 
260 



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“‘don’t lag!’ shouted RALPH 


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THE STORMING OF MONTEREY 26 1 

with the Mississippi and Tennessee volunteers, was 
also near the fort just mentioned, but apart from 
the other troops, and stretched out beyond were 
the dragoons, under General Butler, and the Ohio 
and Kentucky volunteers. 

It was not long before the fighting became gen- 
eral around , the whole semicircle. Shot and shell 
fell in all directions, and again and again the 
United States regulars and the volunteers re- 
turned to the assault. The air was heavy with 
smoke, and mingled with the constant discharge 
of large and small arms came the shrieks of the 
wounded and dying. 

Presently Ralph and Oliver found themselves 
moving over a rough road leading to a hillside upon 
which was located one of the Mexican forts. Here 
the cannon were blazing away madly, and in a twinkle 
several members of the company were cut down. 

“ Oh, but this is terrible ! ” panted Oliver. His 
face was covered with perspiration and gun-smoke, 
and he was dirt and dust from head to foot. 

“ Don’t lag ! ” shouted Ralph. “ Come on ! ” 
And away they went, with thirty or forty others, 
up the hill. They fired as they ran and reloaded 
with all possible rapidity. Then of a sudden they 
found themselves at the edge of a ravine ten feet 
wide and exceedingly deep. In the rush several 
soldiers had gone into the ravine and now clung 
to the brush and vines growing on the sides. 


262 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

What was to do next ? Should they attempt to 
leap the ravine, or should they retreat ? Ralph 
looked at his captain, and so did Oliver. 

“ Over we go, boys ! ” shouted the captain. 
“Follow me! ” And he made the leap in safety. 
Several went after, and then Ralph jumped. As 
he gained the opposite bank he saw Oliver jump. 
But the young soldier’s attempt was not strong 
enough, and he merely hit the bank with his 
knee. As he was sinking Ralph caught hold of 
him and pulled him up. 

“ Good for you, Ralph I cried Oliver, but there 
was no time to say more. The fort was still five 
hundred feet away, and the Mexicans were now 
firing more continuously than ever. Suddenly 
they saw their captain go down, badly wounded, 
and three others followed. 

“We must go back!” shouted a sergeant, but 
his voice was drowned out by the roar of the can- 
non, followed by the cracking of musketry, and 
the company went on, with the balance of the 
regiment following. The ground was torn up by 
cannon-balls, and more than one soldier was blinded 
by the flying dirt. 

When the fort was almost gained a perfect hail 
of grape-shot swept through the Americans. A 
dozen soldiers were mowed down as with a scythe. 
Some of the shot hit the ground again, and sand 
and loose pebbles flew in all directions. 


THE STORMING OF MONTEREY 263 

In the uproar that followed Ralph was knocked 
down, and several soldiers ran over him before he 
could get up again. Then, while still on his knees, 
he heard a shriek from Oliver. 

“ My eyes ! ” cried the young soldier. ‘‘ My 
eyes ! I am blind ! ” And he put out his hands 
before him. 

“ Oliver ! ” exclaimed Ralph and turned toward 
his chum. He saw that Oliver’s face was covered 
with blood. Then several hundred troops swept 
that way, and in a twinkle the pair were again 
separated. 

Feeling that he could not get back, and that it 
was his duty to go forward, Ralph turned once 
more. The catastrophe to Oliver seemed to stun 
his heart, and a mad rage filled him to ‘‘square 
accounts ” for the happening. Before he knew 
it, he was face to face with a lean and cruel- 
looking Mexican and blazed away full into the 
man’s face. As the soldier fell, he leaped over 
the body, and a few steps more took him to the 
wall of the fort. 

The United States troops were already in the 
fort, but the day was far from won. The main 
fighting was around the gun-carriages, and in the 
midst of this some reinforcements for the Mexi- 
cans came over the mountains. From the top of 
one of the hills they took the Americans in the 
rear and our friends were forced to retreat. 


264 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

It was now well along in the afternoon, and no- 
body had had anything to eat since early morning. 
Yet the fighting continued until every soldier was 
so exhausted he could scarcely stand. As for 
Ralph, his head was in a whirl, and he hardly 
knew if he had any feet left or not. 

But Ralph was not the only one who was be- 
wildered. The fighting had been so fierce, and so 
many movements had been made, both around the 
forts and at the various entrances to the town, 
that many soldiers had lost track of their com- 
mands and were fighting with whatever body of 
troops happened at hand. General Butler had 
entered the city on the north, but had been driven 
back. Then he undertook to take Fort Diabolo, 
but was again repulsed, and he was sadly wounded. 
Out of three hundred men a Tennessee regiment 
lost one hundred on that day, — one man out of 
every three ! 

At last night came, and with it a cold and cheer- 
less rain to add to the soldiers’ discomforts. Ralph 
had lost track of his company and also track of 
Oliver, and found himself in a muddy hollow on a 
hillside, among a number of troops from Missis- 
sippi. Ordinarily these men would have given him 
shelter and supper, but this they did not even have 
for themselves. 

Got ter make the best o’ it, sonny,” said one 
old rifleman. “Ye kin be thankful ye ain’t killed.” 


THE STORMING OF MONTEREY 265 

“ I am thankful, but I would like to get back to 
my company even so,” replied Ralph. 

“Wot’s the command.^” 

The young soldier told him, and the rifleman from 
Mississippi “ allowed as how he had seen some of 
’em a smart step down the valley.” Without de- 
lay Ralph moved in that direction, and about ten 
o’clock found half of the command sleeping in the 
semi-shelter of a cliff. Officers and men were 
huddled together indiscriminately, and the guards 
were all more than two-thirds asleep, too. But they 
had little to fear, for in the city the Mexicans were 
just as exhausted. 

At last Ralph found two surgeons who were 
doing what they could for the wounded. One of 
these had found Oliver and taken him to a small 
farmhouse not far away. 

“ Some pebbles were dashed into his face by a 
cannon-ball,” said a surgeon. The wound is 
painful but not dangerous.” 

** But his eyesight — ” faltered Ralph. 

I can’t tell much about that as yet. I am 
afraid, though, he will lose the sight of one eye, 
and it may be both eyes.” 

“ Can I see him ? ” 

“ It won’t do any good and it may only unnerve 
him. I had quite a job of it to get him quiet. 
Let him rest, at least for a day or two, and then 
we’ll see what comes of it.” 


266 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

With this remark Ralph had to be content. But 
as he walked toward the command under the cliff 
his heart sank like a lump of lead within his breast. 

“ Dan missing and now Oliver likely to go blind,” 
he muttered to himself. “ Perhaps to-morrow it will 
be my turn.” Then he grated his teeth and pulled 
himself together. “Pshaw! such is the fortunes 
of war. IVe simply got to make the best of it. 
It’s no use turning calf over it ! ” And then he 
hurried on with a firmer step. Yet after he had 
laid down it was a long, long while before slumber 
came to him, worn out though he was. 

On the following morning it rained so hard that 
many of the troops did not move. Several forts 
had been captured, and these were held and that 
was all. 

In the meantime, however. General Worth 
pushed forward his work with renewed vigour. 
He selected Lieutenant-Colonel Childs to lead a 
strong force against the redoubt on Independence 
Hill. The force consisted of five companies of 
infantry, one of artillery and a selected body of 
two hundred Texan riflemen under Colonel Hays. 

The hill was steep, the rain and mist were still 
thick, and the soldiers had all they could do to 
climb from crag to crag. But with grim deter- 
mination they kept at their task until close to 
the redoubt. Then the Mexicans opened fire on 
them. 


THE STORMING OF MONTEREY 26 / 

“ Fire ! ” ordered Childs. '‘And forward, every 
man of you ! Now or never ! ” And forward they 
did go, at such a speed that the Mexicans became 
fairly panic-stricken, and as the United States 
troops rushed in at one end of the fort, they 
rushed out at the other end, and down the hill, 
and the victory was won. 

The Mexicans from Independence Hill had fled 
to a fort known as the Palace. As soon as it could 
be done, some artillery was hauled up to the top 
of the hill and trained on the Palace with a plung- 
ing fire. 

The Mexicans at the Palace could not reply to 
this fire, and the commander at once gave orders 
that Independence Hill should be retaken. To 
counteract this movement General Worth sent 
forward some extra troops to reinforce Childs. 

The shock, as the Mexicans came up the hill, 
was terrific, and for a long while the battle raged 
most furiously, with favour first on one side and 
then on the other. But at last the Mexicans broke 
and ran, first to the Palace and then toward the 
city. Childs followed, and at the Palace turned 
their own guns on them, and then followed them 
to the city gates. This done. Worth’s command 
was massed at the Palace and preparations were 
made to bombard Monterey on the next day. 

Early on the 23d, General Taylor joined General 
Quitman and sent the latter forward to the first 


268 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRAND E 

of the city roads. Here it was found that the 
Mexicans had fallen back during the night, and 
the United States troops went ahead from one 
barricade to another. The advance was led by 
Colonel Jefferson Davis, afterward the President 
of the Confederate States during the great Civil 
War. Once in the city, the movement was from 
house to house. With the troops were many 
sharpshooters, and these men would make their 
way to the roofs of buildings and bring down 
every Mexican in sight. 

The news of what was going on at one end of 
the city induced General Worth to try a similar 
plan at the other end, and soon a column of his 
soldiers, armed with sledge-hammers, crowbars, 
picks, and shovels gained some of the houses on 
the outskirts. These stood in long rows, and the 
soldiers advanced by breaking through the wall of 
one house into the next. The Mexicans fired on 
them constantly, but could do little damage. 


CHAPTER XXXII. 


ESCAPE FROM THE PRISON PEN 

“ Captain Bardock, do you hear that shoot- 
ing } ” asked Dan, one morning, shortly after aris- 
ing from his damp bed in a corner of the prison 
yard shed. 

“I do — and I have heard it for the past half- 
hour,” answered the captain. 

“ Do you think a bombardment is going on ? ” 

“ Hardly, for the shots are not close enough. 
But I wouldn’t be surprised if General Taylor is 
advancing.” 

I hope he is coming. I am sick and tired of 
this life, and I would do almost anything to get 
away, wouldn’t you.?” * 

Well, if there is a fight we may run a chance, 
Radbury. We might — ” 

Captain Bardock broke off short, for the prison 
guard had appeared. At once one of the prisoners 
ran up to him and asked him what the firing 
meant. 

“ It is a salute in honour of another victory,” he 
answered, sourly. 


269 


2/0 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

I don’t believe it,” cried Dan, when told of this. 
“Really, I believe some of these chaps would 
rather lie than tell the truth.” 

The day wore along slowly, and gradually the can- 
nonading drew closer. Then it began to rain heavily 
and the prisoners crawled into the shed to keep dry. 

“ It is a bombardment,” said the captain. “ Boys, 
we may have a chance to get away soon. If so, we 
ought to stick together.” 

“We’ll stick by you, cap,” answered one old 
soldier. And all of the others said practically the 
same thing. There were now fifteen prisoners in 
the pen. 

“If we could only get hold of some weapons,” 
said Dan. 

“ We might throw the guard and get their three 
guns,” said another. 

“It won’t do — just yet,” said the captain. 
“ But the time may be ripe to-morrow, if Gen- 
eral Taylor is really coming.” 

On the next day the prisoners were certain that 
the city was surrounded. The firing was now 
close at hand, and once a shell went whizzing over 
the prison pen. Instead of alarming the prisoners 
this made them all feel better. 

“ Hurrah for Uncle Sam!” cried Dan. “May 
he gain a speedy victory.” 

Late that afternoon one of the prisoners came 
from the gate in wild excitement. 


ESCAPE FROM THE PRISON PEN 2/1 

‘‘ The guard is gone and the gate is wide 
open ! ” he cried. “ Now is our chance, boys ! ” 

At once every soldier was seized with the un- 
controllable desire to get away, and in a twinkle 
all were at the gates, which were indeed wide 
open. Out they ran, into the muddy street. It 
was raining in torrents and not a soul was in 
sight. 

“Which way shall we — ” began one of the 
prisoners, when of a sudden half a dozen Mexi- 
can soldiers appeared bringing along two wounded 
cavalrymen. As soon as the soldiers saw our 
friends they dropped the wounded men and drew 
up their guns. 

“Stop!” roared one, in Spanish. “The pris- 
oners 1 Fire on them ! ” And the men blazed 
away. Two of the prisoners were killed and 
two wounded. Dan received a scratch in the 
hip, but did not notice it at the time. 

“ Follow me ! ” cried Captain Bardock to Dan, 
and led the way to the nearest house. They 
burst in the front door, ran through, and came 
out at the rear. Here they found an axe on a 
chopping-block and the captain caught up the 
weapon. They continued to run until they 
reached a line of sheds which were being used 
by the Mexicans for cavalry horses. 

One other prisoner had followed them, a man 
named Dawson, and now the three crept into a 


2/2 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

dark corner of the shed and pulled some loose hay 
over them. 

^^Are they coming.!^” asked Dan, in a whisper, 
after several minutes of silence. 

Somebody is,” said Dawson. Listen ! ” 

They listened and heard the tramp of many feet. 
Presently several cavalrymen came into the shed, 
one leading a horse that was wounded in the fore 
shoulder. The 'Mexicans were wet to the skin 
and very angry over something, and swore roundly 
to each other as they cared for the horse, which, 
as it afterward came out, was the animal of one of 
their generals. 

Hardly daring to breathe, our friends kept in 
the hay and remained there for many hours. The 
Mexicans came and went, and one brought two 
more horses. In one of the holsters of a saddle 
was a loaded pistol, and Dan could see it plainly, 
yet he did not dare to crawl out, much as he 
coveted the weapon. 

As night came on the firing in the distance let 
up. The Mexicans cared for the horses, and some 
sat around smoking and talking earnestly. Pres- 
ently one after another went out, until the last 
was gone. 

“Now is our chance,” whispered Captain Bar- 
dock, and emerged from the hay. Dan and Daw- 
son followed, and Dan at once secured the pistol 
he had been eyeing so long. 


ESCAPE FROM THE PRISON PEN 2/3 

It was a question which way they should go. 
They had tried to locate the United States army 
by the shots, but the firing had come from many 
directions. 

“ ril follow you, captain,” said Dan, and Daw- 
son said the same. 

With extreme caution they stole from the she.d 
and tried to pierce the darkness around them. At 
first they could see nothing, for there were no 
street lights and many of the houses in the vicin- 
ity were dark. 

I think wedl find a gate in this direction,” 
whispered Captain Bardock. He pointed with 
his hand, and like three shadows they stole down 
the highway, which was narrow and littered with 
rubbish of every description. 

Several squares had been covered, when they 
heard the tread of many feet. A regiment of 
Mexican soldiers was approaching. 

We must hide ! ” cried Dan. 

Come, yonder house is open,” returned the 
captain, and ran across the street. Here was a 
small yard, surrounded with an ancient stone wall. 
All three leaped the wall and ran across the yard, 
to where the front door to a goodly sized stone 
dwelling stood ajar. 

Hardly had they entered the house than the 
Mexican soldiers began to pass. They marched 
slowly, in a column of fours, and it took some 


2/4 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

time for them to get by. Fearing one or an- 
other might come into the house, Captain Bardock 
closed and barred the door. 

The room the three had entered was pitch-dark, 
and for several minutes they thought the dwelling 
deserted. But as the last of the soldiers passed 
they heard heavy footsteps overhead. 

Somebody is coming ! ” said Dawson. We 
must hide ! ’’ 

But hiding was not so easy, for the room was 
square and bare. In another moment they heard 
a man coming down the stairs. He carried a 
lighted lamp in his hand. Over his shoulder was 
slung a big bag which he evidently carried with 
difficulty. 

In another second Dan caught sight of the 
man’s face, and the young soldier could not sup- 
press a cry of amazement. The man was Juan 
Badillo ! 

. Almost at the same time the giant caught sight 
of the three Americans. He stopped short, not 
knowing what to do. 

'‘What are you doing here.^*” he demanded, in 
a surly tone. 

“Juan the Giant!” cried Dan. “Don’t you 
know me } ” 

But the Mexican said no more. Instead he 
shifted the lamp to his other hand and started to 
draw his pistol. But before he could do this, Dan 


ESCAPE FROM THE PRISON PEN 2/5 

had him covered with the weapon taken from the 
horse-shed. 

“You must know this man,” said Captain 
Bardock. 

“ I do know him. He is nothing but a dirty 
horse thief, who is badly wanted in Texas.” 

“ Then I’ll wager he’s been looting this she- 
bang,” put in Dawson. “ That bag has got silver- 
ware in it.” And the soldier pointed to where a 
silver dish stuck through a hole in the side of the 
bag. 

At this moment came a thumping on the floor 
overhead, as though somebody was knocking with 
his foot. 

“ What does that mean } ” asked Dan. 

The thumping stopped for a moment and then 
it was repeated. 

“ I believe somebody is tied fast up there,” was 
Captain Bardock’ s comment. “ If you’ll watch 
this fellow I’ll go up and see.” 

“I’ll watch him,” answered Dan. “Badillo, 
just you drop that bag.” 

“You mak mistake,” growled the giant. “I 
no steal noddings.” 

“ Drop the bag, I say.” 

“You mak mistake.” The Mexican looked 
toward the door and then toward a back window 
which was open. “ Ask de man up-stairs about dis. 
He ask me to take his t’ings away for heem.” 


2/6 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

By this time the captain was half-way up the 
stairs. Suddenly Juan the Giant hurled the 
lamp at Dan and made a dash for the back 
window. 

As the lamp sailed through the air, Dan fired 
and the Mexican was hit in the shoulder. The 
lamp grazed Dan’s arm and fell in a corner. 
The light was extinguished, leaving all in total 
darkness. Then Badillo leaped for the window, 
with Dawson after him. The soldier could not 
step the rascal, but he caught hold of the bag 
and it fell to the floor, scattering the contents in 
every direction. 

“ Where is he?” cried Dan, as soon as he could 
recover from dodging the lamp. 

“Gone — out of the window.” 

“ Too bad ! ” 

“But I made him leave the bag behind him.” 

“ Did you fire that shot, Radbury ? ” came from 
the stairs. 

“Yes.” 

“ I wish you hadn’t. It may bring the Mexican 
guard down on us.” 

After this, all three of the Americans became 
silent, one listening at the window and one at the 
door. But Badillo was gone, and all was quiet 
save for the tramping of some soldiers in the 
distance. 

“Would that man have nerve enough to send 


ESCAPE FROM THE PRISON PEN 2/7 

the guard after us ? ” questioned the captain, at 
length. 

I hardly think so — not if he was stealing 
here,” answered Dan. 

The thumping above was now repeated, and 
after another pause Captain Bardock crept up the 
stairs and into a rear chamber. It was so dark 
he could not see his hand before his face. But 
feeling around he soon reached a bed, and upon 
this found an elderly man, who was gagged and 
bound hands and feet. 

It took the captain but a minute to ungag the 
prisoner, who at once began to gasp for breath. 

‘‘The villain! Where is he.^” demanded the 
man, in excellent English. 

“ Hullo, are you an American } ” exclaimed the 
captain, in surprise. 

“ I am — and so are you men, by your talk. 
But where is that thief of a Mexican 

“ Gone.” 

“ With all my silver and gold I ” The elderly 
man gave a groan. 

“ No, we got the bag away from him.” 

“ Good for you ! ” The man paused in relief. 
“What brought you here.?” he went on, pres- 
ently. 

“ Can I trust you ? ” 

“ Certainly you can.” 

“ I and two companions escaped from the prison 


2/8 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

pen some squares below here, and we are now 
trying to make our way to the army outside the 
city. We came in here to escape some soldiers 
who were passing.” 

I understand. Well, I’ll do what I can for 
you. I am an American, but I am well known 
here, and so far the authorities have not molested 
me. Untie me, and then I’ll make a light and we 
can have a look at each other.” 


CHAPTER XXXIII. 


BATTLE OF BUENA VISTA CONCLUSION 

Five minutes after the above conversation, all 
the shutters to the house were carefully closed 
and bolted, and then the owner of the dwelling 
made a light, while the three escaped prisoners 
gathered around him. 

“ I don’t know if you ever heard of me,” he 
said, as he looked at the three. “ My name is 
Barton Cardell, and the greasers around here call 
me the Silver Finder. I have a brother over in 
Texas who is a ranchman.” 

Barton Cardell!” ejaculated Dan. “Yes, I 
have heard of you. When I was on my way to 
join General Taylor’s army I stopped at the ranch 
of your brother Henry. He spoke about having 
a brother here, and also a sister.” 

“ My sister was here, but as soon as it looked 
like trouble I sent her away to join my brother 
Henry. He wanted me to come away, but I 
thought it best to remain here and look after my 
mining interests. Generally, the Mexicans are 

279 


28 o JV/TJ/ TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

honest enough, but there is no telling what they 
will do in war times.” 

“ It’s a wonder you weren’t ordered away,” put 
in Captain Bardock. 

would have been, most likely, only it hap- 
pens that one of the Mexican generals is an old 
friend of mine, and a partner in one of my mining 
schemes. He fixed it so that I could remain 
here. But I never expected to be attacked as I 
was,” added Barton Cardell, gravely. 

How did the thief get in on you ? ” questioned 
Dawson. 

<‘In a very underhanded way. He came here 
stating that he had a private message for me from 
my brother. I let him in, not suspecting anything 
wrong. While I was trying to read the paper he 
gave me, he struck me down, pounced upon me 
and gagged me. Then he carried me up-stairs 
and made me a prisoner as you found me.” 

'^Of course the letter was a hoax,” said Dan, 
although he may know your brother.” 

Yes, he must know my brother and must 
have known that I had many things of value in 
this house. Here is the paper, which is, as you 
say, a hoax. But you seem to know the rascal,” 
went on the mine owner. 

“I do — only too well,” answered Dan, and told 
of the past, to which Barton Cardell listened with 
close attention. 


CONCLUSION 


281 

The bag was then opened and found to contain 
a great variety of silver and other ware, besides 
knives, forks, and spoons, all to the value of at 
least a thousand dollars. 

I owe you something for coming to my res- 
cue,” said the gentleman of the house. 

“ Well, get us safe into the American lines and 
ril call it square so far as I am concerned,” 
answered Captain Bardock. 

'‘And so will I,” said Dan, and Dawson said 
practically the same thing. 

“Til do what I can for you,” answered Barton 
Cardell. “ But for to-night, I fancy the best you 
can do is to stay right here. Under this house is 
a secret cellar, and if the worst comes, I can hide 
you in that.” 

• So it was arranged, and after this the mine 
owner proceeded to provide them with the best 
meal the dwelling afforded. All, had now become 
quiet, and, satisfied that their newly found friend 
would do all he could for them, the three sank 
down to rest and were soon in profound slumber. 

In the meantime, even though it was night, the 
army under General Taylor was not idle. One 
place of vantage after another was taken and held. 
These places included the cemetery, where a 
mortar was placed which threw shells for hours 
upon the Mexican soldiers stationed in the Plaza. 
In addition to this two twelve-pound howitzers and 


282 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

a six-pound gun were raised upon a housetop at 
the end of the town and trained along the principal 
street. Thus General Taylor was prepared, at 
daybreak, to continue the contest with fearful 
results. 

General Ampudia was in a quandary, and held a 
council of war. All appeared now to be lost, and 
many were for an unconditional surrender. The 
meeting broke up in deep gloom, and the Mexican 
commander sent one of his generals to ask General 
Worth his terms of surrender. From General 
Worth he got no satisfaction, and early in the 
morning he went personally to General Taylor. 

A long conference ensued, and in the end a 
commission was appointed to draft the terms of 
surrender. It was agreed that the citadel be 
evacuated immediately and the city in seven days. 
All of the public property was to be turned over 
to the United States, along with the most of the 
artillery, and it was further agreed that hostilities 
should cease for six weeks, during which time 
another effort might be made to end the war. In 
the fall of Monterey, the Americans lost about 
five hundred in killed and wounded ; the Mexican 
loss was twice as large. 

When the news spread that the Mexicans had 
surrendered, the whole American army went wild 
with joy, and the celebration lasted for several 
days. The Mexicans were allowed to salute their 



THE CAPITULATION OF MONTEREY 




• ** 



CONCLUSION 


283 


flag when lowered at the citadel, but this saluta- 
tion was nothing compared to the demonstration 
when the glorious stars and stripes were flung to 
the breeze. 

At last came the day when the American troops 
marched into the city and took formal possession. 
It was a gala-day and one long to be remembered. 
Yet with all the good cheer around him, Ralph’s 
heart was heavy, for Oliver was still in the hospital 
suffering from the wounds to his eyes, and nothing 
had been heard of Dan since his disappearance. 

Down the main street of Monterey swept 
Ralph’s command, and the young soldier was 
thinking of nothing in particular, when of a sudden 
he came to a dead halt. 

“ Dan ! ” he burst out, and forgetting all military 
rules he ran to the sidewalk, and at the same time 
Dan hurried from Barton Cardell’s house to meet 
him. In another moment the two brothers were 
in each other’s arms. 

“ I was afraid you were dead ! ” went on Ralph. 

Where have you been } ” 

It’s a long story, Ralph,” answered Dan, with 
a happy smile. “ I have been a prisoner. I see 
you are well. How are Poke and Ollie } ” 

“ Poke is all right, but poor Ollie has had his 
eyes hurt. Come on.” And now Ralph went 
after his company, and Dan followed. In an hour 
the parade came to an end, and then each told his 


284 WITH TAYLOR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

Story in detail. While this was going on Poke 
came up. 

“ By the eternal, ef it ain’t our Dan ! ” burst 
out the old frontiersman, and gripped the young 
soldier’s hand till Dan winced. ‘‘An’ well as 
ever ! I declar, you’re a sight fer sore eyes, hang 
me ef ye ain’t ! ” 

“And I am glad to see you, too,” answered 
Dan. “ It feels like being home once more.” 

“We’ve fit a great battle, Dan; General Tay- 
lor’s victory is a mighty one.” 

“ I know it. Poke, and I dare say you and Ralph 
covered yourselves with glory.” 

“We tried to do our duty,” answered Ralph. 
“ But let me tell you frankly, I am glad we are 
now to have a rest.” 

And to this remark all of the others agreed. 

A few words more and I will bring to a close 
this story of military adventure, “ With Taylor on 
the Rio Grande.” 

With the fall of Monterey there was a cessation 
of hostilities until the middle of the coming No- 
vember. During that time General Ampudia was 
taken from command and cast into prison, and the 
cruel-hearted, overbearing General Santa Anna 
came once more to the front to battle with the 
Americans. 

Santa Anna brought together a large army, and 


CONCLUSION 


285 


the American forces were as speedily as possible 
reorganised to give him battle. But in the mean- 
time General Scott, commander-in-chief of the 
American forces, announced that he would lead an 
army into Mexico against the Mexican capital, and 
on this expedition he took with him many of the 
troops which had formerly served under General 
Taylor. 

Early in the new year found General Worth at 
Saltillo. The Mexican army was not far distant, 
and it was rumoured that Santa Anna meant to 
fall upon Worth and others and destroy them. 
At once General Taylor advanced to the rescue. 

These movements brought on the memorable 
battle of Buena Vista. Santa Anna had under 
him twenty thousand of the pick of the Mexi- 
can army, and the two armies came within sight 
of each other on February 22d, — Washington’s 
Birthday. Santa Anna sent word to General 
Taylor that he was surrounded and asked him to 
surrender. Our gallant commander politely de- 
clined ; and soon the battle was on. 

All afternoon the fighting raged, first at one 
point and then at another. The Mexicans were 
very bold, and in one attack three hundred were 
laid low by our riflemen. When night came all 
were exhausted, but at daybreak the fighting was 
renewed. General Taylor had fallen back toward 
Saltillo, and Santa Anna now attacked in three 


286 WITH TAY 1 .OR ON THE RIO GRANDE 

columns and more hotly than ever. At first some 
of our troops were disorganised and routed, but 
the majority returned to the contest. It was a 
day never to be forgotten, and one on which many 
a soldier covered himself with glory. At last 
night came on again, but the victory was within 
the grasp of the Americans, and when the sun 
shone again it was found that Santa Anna had 
fled. The cheering that followed was maddening, 
and the whole army went almost crazy with joy. 
Less than five thousand Americans had put to 
rout twenty thousand Mexicans ; and that first 
campaign under the villainous Santa Anna came 
to a swift and ignoble end. 

Shortly after his brilliant victory at Buena Vista, 
General Taylor obtained leave of absence and de- 
parted for Louisiana. His return to the States 
was a most triumphal one, and on March 4, 1849, 
he was inaugurated as President of the United 
States, receiving at the hands of a grateful people 
the greatest gift at their command. 

Soon after the fall of Monterey, Mr. Fielding 
came down to Matamoras to look after Oliver, who 
had been removed to the city on the Rio Grande. 
He found his son doing fairly well. Neither of 
the young soldier’s eyes was permanently injured, 
yet the surgeons agreed that he had best give up 
army life for the present. Accordingly, he was 
invalided home, and his father went with him. 


CONCLUSION 


287 


“ I wish you all luck,” said Oliver to Ralph and 
Dan, oh' parting with his chums. “ If you go 
ahead with Old Rough and Ready, be sure and 
come back covered with glory.” 

“ But we are not going ahead with General 
Taylor,” answered Dan. “We have been ordered 
to join General Scott’s command. You know he 
is going to set out against Mexico City itself.” 

What Dan said was true. Among the troops to 
join General Scott were the commands to which 
he and Poke belonged, and also the regiment of 
which Ralph was a member. The future adven- 
tures of the Radburys and their friends will be 
told in another volume of this series, to be en- 
titled, “ Under Scott in Mexico.” In this story 
we will meet many of our old characters again, 
and also learn what became of that rascal known 
as Juan the Giant. 

And now let us say good-bye to all. In former 
days Ralph’s favourite cry had been, “ Hurrah 
for the liberty of Texas ! Hurrah for the heroes 
of San Jacinto ! ” Now the young soldier had a 
new cheer, and in this let us join him : 

“ Hurrah for Old Rough and Ready ! Hurrah 
for the heroes of the Rio Grande ! ” 


THE END. 











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